


F***ked Up

by TheJokersEnigma



Category: Marvel Cinematic Universe, The Avengers (Marvel Movies)
Genre: Avengers - Freeform, F/M, Loki - Freeform, Loki x Reader - Freeform, Natasha Romanoff - Freeform, Song Inspired, Swearing, Thor - Freeform, clint barton - Freeform, reader - Freeform, tony stark - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-01-14
Updated: 2018-04-02
Packaged: 2019-03-04 15:28:59
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 11
Words: 27,793
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/13367628
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/TheJokersEnigma/pseuds/TheJokersEnigma
Summary: Reader is a rather odd girl who suddenly appears out of the blue at a party at the Avengers Tower looking quite a state, and yet completely unfazed.Loki is instantly intrigued by the woman, but never bargained to have past out drunk in his arms. Now he’s got to be gentleman, but it’s not as hard as it seems when it’s for her…(this is a really shit summary, but I didn’t want to give anything away! Plus I’m not really sure where it’s going!)





	1. Part 1

The party was in full swing.

No one really understood why there was a party, but they weren’t going to turn down Stark’s open bar, or a chance to be on the top floor of the Avenger’s tower.

And, hell, parties were fun!

At least most of the guests thought so.

Loki wasn’t quite so sure.

He’d given up refusing the invitations though.

Now that he was stuck on Midgard with his brother Thor, living alongside him in the tower, he was always invited to everything the Avengers did – seemingly being slowly being incorporated into their little freak show.

He was gradually finding he didn’t mind this too much, though he’d never tell any of them that.

The constant partying, he could do without though.

Never one for too much noise or the crushing suffocation of a crowded room, Loki never attended these sorts of events when they were thrown elsewhere, but when Stark chose to host, Loki had found he might as well attend as he could hear the whole thing from the sanctum of his room anyway – a fact that meant it was impossible to do anything else that he wanted to do like read or think in peace.

So, once again, he found himself leaning against the end of the bar in a corner where the fewest people, sipping on something strong as he watched everyone else around him slowly becoming drunker, louder and more unruly.

“Cheer up, Brother!” Cried Thor, slapping him on the back, making Loki jerk forward with the force and sloshing his drink slightly. “Join the celebration!” Thor commanded, lifting his pint glass into the air, gesturing at the room.

“And what, exactly is it we’re celebrating this time?” Loki asked, brushing the droplets of drink that had spilled onto his black Midgardain suit.

Thor had to think about this for a moment. “I’m not sure.” He admitted. “But that is not a reason to not celebrate!” He chuckled, wrapping a large arm around his brother and crushing him into a one arm hug. Loki winced, at his crunching bones, thankful when someone else caught his brother’s eye and he was finally released from the death grip.

“Stark!” Thor boomed, his voice easily carrying across the room. Immediately Loki thankfulness vanished. The host of the party – Iron man himself – strolled causally towards them, wearing a smart suit with his ever-present shades resting on his nose. He had a tumbler of strong whiskey in his hand and a wink in his eye for every girl that caught his gaze.

“Thor, always a pleasure.” Stark greeted, grabbing Thor’s outstretched hand and trying his best not to wince under the blond man’s grip. Thor wasn’t content with just a hand shake though, and pulled the billionaire into his chest, giving him a hearty bone snapping hug that had Tony struggling to breath and forcing him to hold his precious drink out at an odd angle to stop it being knocked.

“Right. Yeah.” Tony gasped.

Thor finally released the man, and Stark caught sight of Loki. “Reindeer games,” He greeted, “not quite such a pleasure.” He nodded. Loki forced a small smile in response – Starks greetings were gradually becoming warmer - when Loki had first arrived it had just been a string of insults.

“Maybe you can tell us, Stark.” Thor said, “What is it we are celebrating this evening?”

Stark shrugged, “Not sure.” He admitted, “I guess…. Well, your back,” He said tilting his drink at Thor’s chest, “Romanoff’s just got back from Cuba… Hey!” He said throwing his hands in the air, “Let’s call it a reunion party!” He decided.

“I shall drink to that!” Thor thundered, raising his glass and then downing the whole pint glass in one.

Thor looked at his glass in surprise when it emptied too quickly. “I think I shall have to get another one of these.” He declared, then strode back into the throng of people without another word.

Great, Loki thought, now he’s left alone with the metal man.

Stark was probably the Avenger that disliked Loki the most – probably understandable after everything in New York, but it did make these moments rather uncomfortable.

“So… Reindeer Games,” Stark addressed Loki, who raised his eyebrows expectantly. “I’ve noticed you’ve been on your best behaviour recently…” Tony observed, “What gives?”

“Maybe I’ve changed?” Loki suggested with a pleasant smile.

“Or you’re hiding something.” Suggested Tony, turning to observe the rest of the party, his eyes scanning the crowed. “I’m going to go with option B.” He muttered back at Loki.

Loki pursed his lips at this. “If your so distrustful of me,” He said smoothly, “why do you keep me around?”

“There’s a phrase here on Earth,” Tony said, his eyes still on the party, “Keep you friends close, and your enemies closer.”

Loki smirked, “It’s nice you think me a friend, Stark.” He mocked.

Before Tony could object to this, Clint Barton strode up to them from the direction of the balcony. “Hope you two are playing nicely.” He said with a raised brow, clearly already well aware they weren’t.

“Ah, Legolas,” Tony greeted, “Got anything to tell me?”

“Just an interesting party guest you might need to see to believe.”

“Oh?” Asked Tony intrigued, “Who? Is it Maria, ‘cause, you know, I’d love to see her after a few drinks – maybe she’d finally loosen up enough to remove that stick from her –“

“-It’s [Y/N].” Clint interrupted.

Tony stopped mid-sentence, his mouth open as he contemplated that piece of information. “Well-“ He said, in surprise, tilting his head, eyebrows raised. “What do ya know? The kid’s back.”

“You invited her?” Asked Clint.

“Always do - kid needs the stress relief after all.”

“From what I’ve heard, she’s her own stress relief.”

“Well…” Tony smirked nodding at this in agreement. Loki was listening to all of this with a growing interest.

“Where is she?” Tony asked.

“On her way up - just caught her getting out a cab in a rather… interesting outfit…” Clint informed them.

“Oh?” Tony’s mind flashed with the various things this could mean.

Clint smacked him. “Get your mind out outta the gutter, Stark!” He reprimanded.

“You’re the one that put it there, bird boy.” Tony grinned devilishly.

“Trust me - any man that sees her tonight is going to be running the opposite direction to usual.” Barton hinted with a knowing smile on his face.

Loki had to wonder what he could possibly mean by this, and Tony seemed just as intrigued, but Clint refused to say anything more.

“Heya, boys,” Greeted Natasha Romanoff, suddenly appearing behind Clint, Steve Rogers following on behind. “What’s this little tea party about?”

“Romanoff, nice to have you back.” Greeted Stark, “How was Cuba - catch any rays?”

“Just bad guys, I’m afraid, Stark.”

“Were any of those called Ray?”

“Funny.” Natasha quipped with a smirk.

“I try.” Shrugged Tony modestly. Loki rolled his eyes.

“What’s the news?” Asked Rogers.

“Apparently our eagle-eyed friend here,” Tony gestured to Clint, “Has spotted a certain lady on her way up to the party.”

“Oh?” Asked Natasha, “Who?”

“[Y/N].”

“Really?” Asked Natasha, surprised, turning her eyes to Clint for confirmation. “I thought she was in Canada.”

Clint shrugged, “Guess she’s back.” He said, “Looks likes she’s been busy too.” He added.

“Why’d you say that?” Asked Rogers.

“See for yourself.” Clint said nodding into the rest of the party.

From the gangs position they could only make out the top of the main elevator, seeing the doors slide open, and then closed once more.

It didn’t take long to stop the woman in question though, as she quickly parted the crowd - everyone pausing in what they were doing to watch her make her way across the room on rather unsteady feet.

The reason for this might have been the one too many shots she’d had before calling the cab, but it certainly wasn’t helped by the fact she seemed to be missing a heel off one of her shoes.

“Hey guys.” She called, slightly out of breath by the time she had reached them, “Long time no see!” She grinned wildly.

Everyone’s jaws - except Clint’s who had already seen [Y/N] from the balcony – were hanging open at the sight before them. Loki’s eyes widened in surprise.

Not only was [Y/N] slightly drunk and hobbling, she was also wearing a large princess wedding gown that was torn, stained and possibly even slightly singed. Her hair - probably once piled beautifully onto of her head in an intricate design - now was knotted and messy, strands falling across her face.

Steve’s manners quickly overcame his shock and he gallantly stepped forward, offering his arm for [Y/N] to rest on, which she gratefully accepted.

“Always the gentleman.” She beamed up at him in thanks, the close proximity allowing Steve to see her right eye was slightly puffy and would probably be sporting a rather vibrant black eye tomorrow.

[Y/N] turned her attention on the rest of the gang in front of her, trying not to laugh at their faces of shock at her current attire. “I see you guys all approve of my new style.” She teased.

They all coughed or cleared their throats in embarrassment at their rudeness, and Loki smirked at her comment.

“What on Earth have you been up to, kid?” Asked Tony, his eyes bright at the idea of the story behind this particular scene.

[Y/N] chuckled, “Oh, it’s a good one, Stark,” She promised, “But I was kind of hoping Nat might have some spare clothes I can borrow…” She hinted, looking imploringly at Natasha and gesturing down at the stained bodice and muddy skirt with a grimace.

“Oh, yeah sure, ‘course.” Natasha said quickly, recovering from her initial shock. “Let’s get you to the restroom, then I’ll run downstairs and grab something.” Nat offered - pretty certain [Y/N] wasn’t going to be capable of the stairs to her room right now.

“Thanks, Nat.” [Y/N] smiled gratefully, untangling herself from Steve and taking the arm Natasha now offered her. The two women then turned and navigated their way across the room once more, [Y/N] still pulling everyone’s stares from her unusual attire.

“Jeez, she looks likes been through hell and back.” Steve commented, stepping back to watch their progress through the staring crowd.

“Or dragged behind a carriage.” Observed Thor who had suddenly appeared on their left. Everyone but Loki turned to give him a questioning look.

Thor shrugged, “It happens.” He said simply.

The boys shook their head, letting the comment go.

“Who is she anyway?” Steve asked, turning his attention back to the lads now that the women were out of sight.

Loki perked up at this question – just as interested in the answer. The woman had certainly caught his interest – if only because he wanted to know why she was in the state she was.

“She’s – a – uh - close friend.” Cough Tony uncomfortably. Loki frowned at Stark in annoyance - what sort of an answer was that? Was she one of Tony’s many ‘lady friends’?

The very thought of that instantly turned something cold in Loki’s stomach.

Neither Steve nor Thor looked happy with Stark’s answer either and they frowned between Clint and Tony, looking for further explanation.

Tony fidgeted uncomfortably, clearly wanting to spill the little secret, but something was holding him back. He shot Clint a pleading look and Barton considered it for a moment before he gave an uncaring shrug.

Tony grinned triumphantly, “Alright gang, huddle up!” He ordered, gesturing with his arms to get them to gather around him. “Not you magic boy.” He dismissed Loki with a wave of his hand.

Loki scowled, opening his mouth to protest, but his brother beat him to it.

“Aw, come on Stark, my brother’s part of the team now – you can trust him.” Thor insisted. Loki felt a slight warmth towards his brother at this – not that he was about to share that information.

Tony looked anything but impressed at this argument though and frowned at Thor for a moment. He sighed heavily. “Fine, but only because he’s hates the man so much that I know he won’t say anything.”

Loki didn’t know what Stark meant by this, but it only fuelled his intrigue more and he stepped forward to join the huddle.

“Ok. So. All of you need to promise this information goes no further than the five of us, got it?” Asked Tony seriously, raising a brow and glancing at each man in turn, all of them nodding their agreement. “Sorry guys, that ain’t gonna cut it, we’ve got serious information going on here – I’m going to need real words.” Tony decided.

Some of the men sighed, others rolled their eyes, all of them then mumbling their consent.

“You know what,” Stark paused, “I think I might need a written agreement…” He said, going to pull out of the huddle.

“Stark!” Clint and Steve barked at the same time, Clint grabbing Tony’s jacket and pulling him back to the circle.

“Preferably before she gets back.” Hinted Clint.

Tony smiled good humouredly, “Right, Sorry, chaps.” He took a deep breath. “Well, we all known the one eyed-legend – or so he’d like to think, I mean -” Muttered Tony, and Clint elbowed him for going off track again. Stark grimaced in pain “Sorry.” He muttered again. “Anyway, you know who I was talking about” He stated quickly “ – Fury.”

“Well, that young girl in the restroom,” He said, jabbing his thumb over his shoulder roughly in the right direction. “ – she’s his daughter.”

Thor and Steve’s jaws dropped for the second time that evening. And even Loki felt his lips part slightly at this.

“You’re actually being serious?” Asked Steve, glancing at Clint for reassurance.

Clint nodded, “No word of a lie.” He said. “If you’re around her long enough you start to see it.” He explained, “She’s a reckless little thing – all of Fury’s genius and balls, but without that tightly controlled restraint we all know and love.”

“Pardon me, friends.” Thor interrupted, “But why is this such a big secret.”

“She and Fury are estranged.” Tony informed him.

“One too many fights, one too many unwanted bail outs.” Clint muttered.

Tony nodded, “Fury’s protective, and that doesn’t work with [Y/N].” He shrugged in a what-can-you-do gesture.

“And you’re all buddies with her?” Steve asked.

Tony nodded. “Basically. The kid needs a place to crash every now and then - I help her out.”

“Why?” Thor asked.

Tony frowned at him, looking hurt that his generosity was being called into question. “To be nice.” He stated, offended. Then he bobbed his head from side to side, thinking about it “- And to piss her dad off.” He admitted.

Loki smirked at this. He honestly couldn’t believe someone like Fury would have a daughter – or any children full stop. But then maybe Loki was biased – he had hated the man on sight and - if anything - their relationship had only continued to deteriorate over time.

Fury was less than pleased that Loki was now basically a permanent resident on Earth.

“So why is she in a Midgardian wedding dress?” Questioned Thor, the group slowly starting to pull apart now the main secret was told.

Clint shrugged, reaching for his drink that he placed to the side. “Another one of her mad antics I expect.” He guessed.

“I don’t know,” Tony said, “but I am dying to find out.” He grinned. “The kid always has the most interesting stories….”

Steve shot him a look and Tony coughed, “Ones which I clearly don’t condone for a young lady such as herself.” He amended quickly, though he winked across at Thor when Steve glanced away.

The reason for Rogers’ attention being diverted was soon clear as Natasha and [Y/N] could be seen scaling the edges of the crowd in an attempt to get back to the group of boys.

[Y/N] looked much better now, dressed in cropped jeans and a loose floaty shirt, her hair neatly combed through and left to do what it pleased. The problem was, without the ripped bridal gown to hold people’s attention, everyone was now far more aware of the state of her body - especially her face.

Loki’s eyes drank in every detail of her, the bloodied lip, the puffy right eye, the grazed knuckles, the multiple small gashes across her cheeks and up her bare arms. He even swore some of the marks he could see were burns.

Whatever had happened to this girl, she certainly hadn’t come out unscathed. Though, to Loki, none of it marred her obvious natural beauty underneath.

“Ah, and so the kid returns!” Exclaimed Tony, “[Y/N] you look… better.” He observed unconvincingly.

[Y/N] laughed at this and Loki felt something twist in his stomach. “Oh, Tony, don’t worry, I know I look like shit.” She said.

Everyone looked slightly surprised by this brutally honest comment and Loki smirked, liking this girl more and more.

Tony quickly recovered, “So, kid, you got some interesting stories to tell us?” He asked excitedly.

She chuckled again, “Always Tony, but right now I think I need a couple more drinks.” She hinted.

“Of course, m’lady.” Tony grinned, stepping forward and linking arms with the young woman, soon dragging her off towards the bar.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I apologise for the title name haha, but its the title of the song that I’ve based/got the idea for this series from!  
>  I wasn’t planning on this being a very long series - and it won’t be - but I am making it a few parts longer then I had originally planned because I’ve basically rambled too much and so what was supposed to be a <3000 word part became a 4500 word part.
> 
> So, i’ve split part 1 into 2 parts!
> 
> Hope you liked it!


	2. Part 2

**Summary for the Chapter:**

> This chapter was born from the joy of being up all night for no apparent reason, so I apologise if there are a few mistakes in it!
> 
> Hope you found it somewhat coherent!  
> I'd love any feedback your willing it give!

The night wore on and Loki hardly moved from his spot by the end of the long bar. He did venture out on the balcony at one point in the hopes of it being quieter, but after a few too many couples decided to join him with their public displays of affection, he soon retreated back to his previous sanctum.

The party was slowly dying down now, and the number of people in the room was gradually dwindling. The bar area was relatively empty, and Loki had found himself a bar stool and he now sat staring into his drink, using his magic to cause the liquid to spin clock wise, then anti-clockwise, his mind lost in thought.

“That’s a pre- pretty neeeeaattt trick!” Exclaimed a drunken voice on his left as someone fell onto the seat next to him. Loki’s face darkened and he stopped the magic, but continuing to stare at the still-spinning remnants of the liquid, ignoring the interruption.

“You’re ‘oki aren’t yooooooo?!” The person persisted.

“Loki.” He corrected in a bored tone, still not moving his gaze.

“That’s what I said ‘oki!” The person exclaimed.

Loki let out an annoyed sigh, straightening himself to his full intimidating height and glancing over at his annoying companion, his eyes widening when he recognised Fury’s daughter.

“Nice to meet you ‘oki!” She cried drunkenly, “I’m [Y/N]!” She grinned holding out her hand at an odd angle.

Loki ignored her outstretched hand. “I know who you are.” He drawled.

“Alrightyyyy…” [Y/N] muttered, “Grumpy.” She added - probably trying to whisper it under her breath, but in her inebriated condition she had said it loud and clear. [Y/N] dropped her hand, letting it fall so it slapped against her legs that were – in Loki’s opinion - splayed out in a rather unladylike and he was just glad she was wearing trousers.

“Do you think that maybe you should – uh - ‘call it a night’?” He drawled.

“Hmm… You might just be righ’ Reindeer games….” [Y/N] hummed.

Loki scowled - not particularly pleased that Stark’s little nickname had caught on. “Wait here.” He muttered, unfolding himself from the bar stool, he needed to find someone to escort the woman back to wherever she lived.

When he tried to walk off though, a pair of arms were suddenly flung around him, pulling him back slightly as he was hugged. Loki faltered, lifting his arms up in confusion at the human now draped around his waist.

“Don’t leave.” [Y/N] muttered, suddenly sounding very tired.

Loki frowned down at the girl, unsure what to do now. He could easily pull away from her, but that was likely to end up dragging the girl off the stool and onto the floor - which didn’t particularly strike him as the right move.

He settled for the only thing he could think to do, grabbing her arms and extracting himself from her grip, keeping hold of her to ensure she didn’t fall.

[Y/N] seemed to have suddenly become rather limp and, when Loki attempted to sit her back up on the bar stool, she seemed to lean dangerously to one side or the other, even when he tried to rest her against the bar. He didn’t feel like he could leave her like that.

Loki grimaced at the next option. He bent down over her, easily scooping her up into his arms as though she weighed nothing, and then began to push his way through sea of people still at the party, searching the crowd for the familiar face of an Avenger.

Sadly, Stark was the first one he found.

“Metal-man.” Loki called, easily parting the crowd with his height and intimidating look. Tony reluctantly turned around at the nickname, knowing exactly who it was, but his eyes widened at the sight that greeted him and he snorted with laughter.

“This night just keeps getting and better.” Tony chuckled, breaking away from the group he’d been chatting with and stepping towards Loki.

“I believe this young lady needs to be escorted home.” Loki stated, glancing down at [Y/N] who was now curled into his chest, her arms around the God’s neck.

Tony tried to supress a laugh at the look of discomfort on Loki’s face. “Sure, thing antlers.” He nodded, gesturing behind him for a large, broad shouldered man in a black suit to come over.

Happy Hogan reluctantly lifted his arms for the girl to be deposited into, but when Loki bent to pass her over, [Y/N] whimpered and clung tighter to his neck.

Loki wince at the pull on his next and Stark snorted.

“Sorry Reindeer Games, looks like you’re the chosen one.” Stark teased.

Loki glared at him over [Y/N] and Tony raised his hands in defence, “Just get the kid into one of the limos downstairs, tell them her address and they’ll get her home.” Stark told him, then went to move past Loki, patting him on his shoulder teasingly, fully aware that Loki’s arms were too full with [Y/N] to lash out at him. “Good luck.” Stark teased, disappearing back into the party.

Loki glared at the man’s back as he happily strode off, then glanced down at the girl, rolling his eyes at the turn the night had taken, before heading for the elevator to get this over and done with.  
\---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It took Loki a while to finally grab a free limo – a long line of them waiting, but all quickly filling with the other guests that were leaving at the same time.

When he finally located a free car, he tried to deposit [Y/N] onto one of the back seats, but her grip was unyielding, and she wouldn’t release him.

Loki knew Midgardians were fragile beings and he didn’t want to pull her grip too hard in case he accidentally hurt her.

So now he found himself sat in the back seat of the limo with [Y/N]. A few moments after sitting down, Loki felt her arms loosen enough for him to finally dislodge her from his neck and he careful manoeuvred her - so she was now sat on the seat next to him.

However, the limo had pulled away the minute they were both in car and now Loki was stuck seeing this girl all the way home.

“Where to, sir?” The driver called back to Loki, meeting his gaze in the rear-view mirror.

“Uh – one moment.” He muttered, turning to [Y/N], only now realising why her arms had loosened. She had finally completely passed out and now leant against his arm.

“Of course.” Loki sighed quietly, closing his eyes in annoyance.

He could wake her. He should wake her. But now she was so close to him, he could not only see the damage done to her face and arms better, but also the dark rings under her eyes which told him of numerous sleepless nights.

Loki was only all too familiar with sleepless nights after the events of New York, and he knew the peace of even just one single dreamless sleep.

He couldn’t find it in him to wake her. He wouldn’t deprive her of a rest that was so clearly needed.

“Sir?” Questioned the driver again, prompting him for the address once more.

Loki didn’t look up from [Y/N]’s bruised face. “Just drive around the city.” Loki murmured. The driver looked confused, but didn’t argue further.

Loki watched as the girl’s face fell peaceful and soft as she snuggled into his side and he shifted his arm out from under her, letting it gently rest around her, excuses in his mind that it was just to hold her securely against him as the car bumped over pot holes.

He turned his gaze away from her then, watching the city flash past the window instead, losing himself to his thoughts once more.

Fury had a daughter. Who would have thought?


	3. Part 3

The limo drove them down every back road of the city as the early hours of the day wore on. Several times the driver tried to ask where the destination for the couple was, but Loki just silenced him with a withering glare.

It was only as the first few rays of morning sunlight filtered through the buildings and streaked across the interior of the car, that [Y/N]’s eye finally fluttered open.

She had shifted a fair amount in her sleep until she found a position comfortable enough, now lying out, so she took up most of the back seat, her head resting on Loki’s thigh as a pillow.

It had taken him a while to get comfortable with her like this, but he couldn’t find it in him to move her and when [Y/N] hadn’t showed any signs of moving he had left her to it, turning his attention to anything but the girl on his lap.

Now she was beginning to stir, Loki tore his gaze from the window, mentally shaking himself from the train of thought he’d been on and watching as [Y/N] shakily pushed herself upright, her back to him.

She rubbed at her face tiredly and shuffling herself to the seat on the other side of the limo, turning so she now faced the correct way.

Finally, she glanced over to him, grinning from ear to ear. “Opps.” Was all she said.

Loki raised his eyebrow at this in both amusement and disbelief. ‘Opps’. That was it?

He noticed [Y/N] rubbing at her temples, clearly feeling the effects of her earlier intoxication. She glanced back over at Loki, her fist pressed against her forehead.

“I apologise for – uh – that,” She gestured at where she had been lying out, “I can never really handle beer.” She admitted, smirking - though she then winced at the pain that movement caused and soon dropped her lips, seeming to think better of it.

“It’s fine.” Loki said, stiffly. Everything about this woman was intriguing him immensely – her appearance at the party, her numerous injuries, the fact she could pass out on his lap and only say ‘Opps’, the fact that she would drink something she knew would later cause her such pain.

She was just a walking bunch of unanswered questions.

“Driver.” Loki called to the front of the car.

The chauffeur used his rear-view mirror to glance back at the unusual couple in the back of his limo. “Yes, sir?”

“Take us to –“ Loki stopped, glancing across at [Y/N] who still looked a bit dazed from a combination of sleep and the remains of the alcohol in her system.

“Uh – 42 Syndal Avenue.” She said, catching the silent question.

“Yes, ma’am.” The driver nodded, taking the next right.

The rest of the journey took place in silence, both Loki and [Y/N] keeping their gaze out of their respective windows as the early morning light slowly grew stronger.

When the car finally pulled up at their destination, [Y/N] called a ‘thank you’ to the driver, and then immediately scrambled out of the car. The minute she put weight on her legs she felt them wobble unsteadily beneath her and she grabbed the top of the car to stabilise herself.

She was surprised when she noticed Loki unfolding himself from the car as well. His eyes snapped to her, noticing how she was struggling, and swiftly strode around to her side, offering an arm without really thinking about it.

[Y/N] wanted to turn him down, but she knew she needed the help and, after initially hesitated, she accepted his offer and leant heavily against the tall, dark-haired man.

He helped her up the steps to the door – at points almost completely lifting her off her feet, though this seemed to take barely effort from him – and she was soon at her door where she fumbled with the key in the lock.

Loki released her when as she made to step through the door and took a step back. Once she was beyond the threshold, [Y/N] turned to face him, leaning on the door to help steady herself. She let out a breathy laugh “Next one’s on me!” She told him with a large grin and a wink before abruptly closing the door on him.

Loki stood on the doorstep for a moment, puzzled by the woman’s closing mark and her sudden abruptness.

He had no idea what she had meant by ‘Next one’s on me’, but it sounded like she was planning on seeing him again which confused him even more, not understanding why she would need to.

Banishing any thought of the obtuse young girl from his mind, Loki turned and strode down the few steps to the pavement and making his way back to the Limo left running for him.

He went to open the door, but faltered for a moment, instead moving to tap on the front window and instructing the driver to go home, deciding to make the most of the empty streets this early in the morning, and walk back instead.

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

It was a further to the Avengers Tower than Loki had initially planned, but it didn’t bother him, relishing in the silence of the sleeping city after the deafening noise of the party.

When he eventually reached the towering building, early morning commuters were already starting out on their way to work. Lodi rode the elevator up, past his own room, to the main communal floor which held the large lounge area and equally large, polished kitchen.

His mind was too busy for him to even try to get any sleep at the moment – which was where he presumed everyone else was right now, passed out in their own rooms – and so, instead, Loki settled for getting himself another drink – this from Starks own private collection.

It was as he crossed the large open plan room to the bar by the huge floor to ceiling windows, that Loki’s eye caught sight of something odd on one of the sofas. A second glance confirmed he wasn’t insane, but that there was in fact a messy nest of dirty white material sat amongst the grey cushions.

It was [Y/N]’s destroyed dress.

Intrigue got the better of Loki and he side tracked from the bar to the collection of chairs, so he could get a better look at the tattered piece of clothing.

He knew something of the Midgard wedding ceremony thanks to the numerous books he read whilst stuck on this planet, but he had never seen any part of it in real life. He ran his hand over the netted underskirt, and rubbed the silky skirt between his fingers, admiring some of the find embroidery that lined the edges.

Finally, he lifted the entire gown up, able to get a better idea of the extent of damage this way.

It was true. The dress was ruined and far beyond repair.

The skirt was ripped around the edges like it had been trodden on several times and was covered in thick layers of mud and grime like [Y/N] had been running through a boggy field or something similar. As Loki’s gaze travelled up the dress he noticed red-ish bruise-like stains spattered over the silk which gave off the faint smell of alcohol, as well as several scorch marks along the bodice and bust area.

The most eye-catching part of the whole destruction, however, was the large slash in the bodice just above the wearer’s hip which had cut straight through the material cleanly and must have been done by something incredibly sharp.

What on Earth had that girl been up to?! He was almost impressed she was as uninjured as she even with the multiple cuts and black eye.

Loki was still frowning at the gown in wonder when the elevator pinged on the other side of the room, and he quickly dropped the material back onto the sofa and magicked himself across the room, appearing in the kitchen area, pretending to be retrieving some water.

Thor stepped out of the metal box, carrying a rather drunk Stark in his arms who – even now – appeared to be trying to talk to Thor, despite the fact he was also half-unconscious.

“What in Odin’s name happened to him?” Loki asked with a raised brow as he watched Thor carry the inebriated man to the sofas.

“From what I can gather.” Thor grunted as he deposited the now-snoring Stark onto the cushions, “He broke into his own liquor cabinet and attempted to drink one of the bottles whole.” He explained, smirking down at Tony like he was a troublesome child.

Loki just shook his head at the idiocy.

“What of you, brother?” Thor asked, heading towards the kitchen where Loki stood. “You spent the whole night in that corner or yours, yet you vanished from it in the early hours.” Thor exclaimed puzzled. “You cannot expect me to believe that you returned to your room when the party was still in its relative swing!” Thor said, beating Loki to his preferred lie.

Loki bowed his head, underestimating Thor’s perception once again – though the oaf did do a good job at hiding it. “I was required to escort a drunken girl to the transport outside on the street.” Loki said truthfully. “I then decided it would be more peaceful to take a walk than return upstairs to the party.” He informed Thor, leaving out certain details.

Thor scrutinised his brother closely, searching for the lies in his words, but they were close enough to the truth that Thor couldn’t detect anything suspicious and nodded in content.

“That was oddly kind of you, brother.” Thor acknowledged, taking a seat on the stool by the large kitchen island, Loki stood on the opposite side of the counters.

“Yes, well, don’t get too used to it brother,” Loki muttered, “– it was only because she wouldn’t release me.”

Thor smirked at the image of his brother being defeated by a fragile human woman simply because she wouldn’t let go of him. Maybe his brother did have a weak spot after all.

“Now - if you’ll excuse me - I shall retire to the sanctum of my room before the noise begins again.” Loki grumbled, bowing out before his brother could question him any further about the night’s events and wishing he had managed to get that drink he’d been after.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so this is a relatively short part, but it is the last part (plus a little bit more) of the initial part 1 I wrote to start with which was over 4500 words.  
> Next part will hopefully be a bit longer!  
> I's operating on about 3 ½ hours of sleep - so I apologise if there were extra mistakes in this one!
> 
> Please let me know what you think!


	4. Part 4

It was the following morning before people finally began emerging from their rooms, finally feeling slightly refreshed after the long night of partying.

Loki hadn’t required the recovery period from the alcohol like the others – particularly Stark – but he had instead relished in the silence that a hungover tower gave him, and could help feeling distinctly disappointed when he entered the communal floor the following morning to find it occupied by three of the other occupants of the tower.

Steve Rogers was sit in an armchair, Clint Barton on another with a plate of toast on his lap, and Natasha Romanoff lounged on a sofa with a mug of coffee. When Loki stepped out of the elevator with no greeting to them, there was none in return, in fact they barely glance at him as he made his way towards the kitchen.  
He preferred it that way – they ignored him, he ignored them – made for less clashing between everyone.

“Ah, the man lives!” Cried Clint from his chair, placing his plate on the table in front of him. Loki glanced behind him, following Barton’s eyeline to see Stark emerging – rather blurry-eyed - from the elevator.

“Funny.” Stark muttered. Clint just grinned.

“Maybe next time you shouldn’t dare yourself to down a whole bottle of whiskey.” Romanoff commented as she strode past Tony, heading to the kitchen with her empty mug in hand.

Tony made a face at her back as she walked off.

Loki watched cautiously out of the corner of his eye as Romanoff made her way over to him. She completely ignored him though, simply refilling her mug with the tar-like coffee substance they all seemed to enjoy so much.

Loki heard Stark mumbled something like ‘’cause you’re all regular saints’ as he made his way over to the collection of sofas and threw himself down on one of them, leaning heavy against the arm rest.

Barton continued to grin at the suffering man and Rogers seemed to be struggling to not succumb as well.

“So, did you find out what happened to [Y/N]?” Natasha asked Tony, walking back towards them with her now replenished mug.

Loki felt his ears prick up at the mention of Fury’s daughter, the early hours of the previous morning flashing to the front of his mind, as well as the image of the destroyed wedding dress.

Tony shot a glance to her. “No. I lost her before I got chance.” he admitted, groaning as he shifted himself slightly more upright in his chair, “I’d kind’a hoped you’d be able to fill us in.”

Everyone looked to her. Romanoff shook her head, “Didn’t get a chance.”

“Didn’t get a chance?” Tony repeated, raising his eyebrows “Jeez, what were you doing in that bathroom?”

Natasha shot him an unimpressed look. “I was going to ask, but I couldn’t get a word in the whole time.” She explained, “She was going on about anything and everything.”

“She really is the opposite of Fury, isn’t she?” Steve asked in surprise.

The other three just nodded.

They fell silent in thought for a moment, then slowly broke apart into other conversations, Stark saying silently and continuing to mull over his lost opportunity. Loki turned his attention back to what he was doing.

“Nope. Can’t do it!” Stark suddenly declared, smacking the arm rest in declaration and – from the cringe on his face – immediately regretting it. “I have to know what happened.” He said, not slightly less enthusiastic, and pulling his phone from his jeans.

“You have her number?” Clint asked in surprise.

“No, but it can’t be hard to find.” Stark muttered, flicking through his phone, already hacking into numerous networks.

Suddenly his phone was plucked from his hands from behind him by Romanoff

“Hey…!”

“[Y/N]’s smarter than that, Stark.” Romanoff pointed out with a scowl, “- She probably doesn’t even have a phone!”

Just then, the elevator pinged, and Thor stepped out, glancing around at the scene.

“Good morning, friends.” He called happily, ignoring Tony’s unsuccessful attempts against Natasha to get his phone back. Clint, Steve and Natasha gave a chorus of greetings in return, but Loki remained silent in the kitchen, not seeing the point in joining the cacophony.

“Hey, Thor, buddy!” Stark suddenly called, giving up of Natasha, a wild look in his eye – desperation clearly getting to him. “You didn’t talk to [Y/N] at the party, did you?”

Thor frowned at him in confusion. “[Y/N]?”

“Fury’s daughter.” Steve explained.

Recognition flashed in Thor’s eyes, but he just shook his head, “Not particularly.” He admitted, “Why?” He asked, suddenly alert, “Has something happened?”

Tony had flopped back down onto the sofa in exasperation, not caring for the conversation anymore.

“No, she’s fine - just Stark being his usual obsessive self.” Explained Natasha, moving back to her seat with Tony’s phone safely in her pocket.

Thor seemed to understand this immediately, and noticeably relaxed, heading in the direction of the kitchen and catching site of his brother.

“Ah, brother!” He exclaimed, “Being sociable, are we?” Thor ribbed with a grin.

“Just succumbing to the convention of breakfast.” Loki muttered, gesturing to his plate.

“And eavesdropping?” Assumed Thor, lowering his voice.

Loki shrugged in response. Why deny it? His brother wouldn’t buy it.

“Hold the phone!” Stark suddenly cried from the lounge area and both men turned their attention back on the man as he shot back upright - much to the pain of his skull which he now clutched. “Reindeer Games!” He called, and Loki rolled his eyes at the nickname. “You were with [Y/N] at the party!”

Everyone’s attention turned to Loki who was doing his best to look unfazed and practically bored by this declaration. “Your point?” He drawled.

“Did she tell you anything?!”

Loki thought about this, he could torture Stark, make him think he knew, yet refuse to tell him. But, having lived with Stark for a while now, Loki was beginning to understand what his obsessions could be like and how quickly withholding information from him might get out of hand. That would have been something he might have enjoyed, if he didn’t know that it was likely with Stark making Loki’s life hell.

No. He shouldn’t do it.

“I’m afraid she was past the point of coherent conversation when we met.” He said truthfully. Stark eyed him for a moment - probably thinking back to when Loki had approached him on the night, the girl practically unconscious in the God’s arms – and seemed to decide he was probably tell the truth.

Resigned to this fact, Tony groaned, again letting himself fall hopelessly back onto the cushions of his chair.

Loki could feel Thor’s eyes on him - probably surprised by this new information that Loki had been with [Y/N] at the party - but he didn’t say anything, instead just grabbed a mug of coffee and headed to the seated area with the rest of the Avengers.

“Why do you not just pay Miss [Y/N] a visit and inquire?” Thor asked amiably, falling onto the same sofa as Stark - the impact making Tony bounce unhappily in his seat and clutch his head once more, whilst everyone else looked on bemused.

“I don’t know where she’s staying.” Muttered Tony, wincing as he rubbed his head. He fell silent for a moment before his eyes suddenly shot open, seeming to have forgotten the pain. “Antlers!” He called, yet again.

Loki, who had at this point turned his back on the others, now closed his eyes in annoyance, sighing heavily, before he turned to face Stark once more.

“You took her to the Limo,” Stark pointed out getting to his feet now, “Did you hear the address?”

Loki paused to consider this. He had heard it – though, it had been whilst in the Limo with [Y/N] being driven to the destination – hel, he’d even walked her to her door after seeing how she was still struggling to stand.

But Tony didn’t need to know any of that.

Loki considered - once more – prolonging Stark’s suffering by pretending he hadn’t heard the address, but Loki was almost equally eager to get to the bottom of [Y/N]’s story. “I believe it was Syndal Avenue.” He said muttered unhappily, pausing to think back. “42.” He added.

Stark paused where he had started to pace, thinking about this. “That’s not a hotel.” He pointed out to no one in particular.

“I didn’t know she had a place in the city.” Clint said.

“Neither.” Agreed Tony, “But there’s a lot of things I don’t know about that kid.” He muttered in frustration.

“So, what, Stark?” Asked Steve. “You’re just going to drive to her house and demand to know why she was in such a state on the night of the party?”

“Doesn’t seem very tactful.” Admitted Natasha.

“Tactful?” Repeated Tony, looking at Natasha in disbelief, “It’s not exactly going to be a ‘delicate’ subject is it? The kid probably just went out on a wild night and ended up completing a mission at the same time – there’s not need to tread around the question!”

“Alright, well, I’m coming with.” Romanoff insisted, standing up.

“Fine.” Muttered Stark, grabbing his jacket that had been draped over one of the chairs, already heading for the elevator.

Just then, the AI, J.A.R.V.I.S, spoke from above them, “Sir, may I interrupt.”

“Not really.” Muttered Stark, not pausing.

“But sir, you have a visitor downstairs.”

“Tell them to leave a message.”

“Sir, Miss Fury is rather insistent.”

That made Tony freeze in his tracks, only a few feet from the elevators.

“Well that’s spooky.” Clint muttered from across the room, the rest of the room silent.

“She is now very insistent that I do not refer to her as Miss Fury.” J.A.R.V.I.S informed them.

Clint laughed. “That’s her.”

Loki felt his lips pull up into a small smirk.

The room remained quiet, no one making a move.

“Sir?” Prompt J.A.R.V.I.S, “Should I send her away?”

“No!” Tony yelled quickly, “No,” He repeated, calmer, “Send her up.” He turned back to the room where the rest of them were watching him. “Well… That was easy.” He muttered.

A silence fell over the room as they waited, so, when the elevator pinged its arrival, most of them jumped, and [Y/N] stepped out to a room of stunned silence, everyone’s attention on her.

“Uh – Hi?” She greeted, raising her free hand.

No one made any move initially and Loki had time to study [Y/N] as she stood there looking confused at the rest of them.

She was wearing the exact same clothes that Romanoff had given her at the party the other night, and was carrying a small, battered rucksack in the hand that wasn’t still raised in greeting.

Even from this distance it was easy for him to make out some of her injuries - which didn’t seem to have improved much since he’d last seen her the day before – her numerous cuts still clear against the skin of her arms, and her black eye now having bloomed into a painful rainbow of blue, red and purple.

As he observed her, [Y/N] eyes flashed to his and he held her gaze until she finally looked away.

Natasha finally appeared to snap out of her stupor. “Uh – Hi,” She croaked in surprise, shaking her head, “How are you?” She asked, stepping forward to take the girl’s bag, placing it on one of the side tables.

[Y/N]’s eyes lit up. “Fine thanks, Tash - finally recovered as I see all you guys have… – well, most.” She added, glancing at Tony.

He forced a smile and she laughed at him.

“Did I catch you at a bad time?” [Y/N] asked, noticing the jacket in Tony’s hand, “I can come back la-“

“No, no, don’t worry.” Natasha said quickly, hustling her into the room before she could ask anymore.

[Y/N] looked surprised, but went with it. “Alright…” She hummed, as she was dragged over to the sofas. She took Tony’s recently vacated seat next to Thor and Loki watched with a slight twist in his gut when she beamed up at the large blond man next to her - his wide shoulders and huge muscles making her look so much smaller and more fragile than usual.

“How’s the eye?” Clint asked after she had greeted him and Steve too.

“Looks worse than it is.” [Y/N] shrugged. “Keep forgetting about it and then people give me weird looks and I don’t know why.” She laughed, glancing at Steve who was doing just that, and making he turn slightly red.

“So, how’d you do it?” Stark asked, appearing next to her.

[Y/N] didn’t look even the slightly bit fazed by his sudden appearance, or the urgency in his voice. She smiled, “Oh, you know me, Stark, always being clumsy.” She chuckled and mimicked a fist to the eye with one of her hands.

Stark nodded, though he seemed a bit disappointed from the lack of details. He glanced at the rest of the team who briefly met his eyes.

Loki watched all of this in amusement, it was like an oddly informal interrogation - and [Y/N] seemed completely oblivious.

“So, what was the whole white-wedding thing about?” Clint asked, sounding far more relaxed than Stark.

[Y/N] seemed to falter at this, and Loki saw something flash across her face, before it was gone just as fast, replaced by a look of confusion before she seemed to understand, “Oh, the dress?” She laughed.

Clint nodded, not seeming to have noticed anything.

“Oh, just a silly – rather annoyingly inconvenient – disguise.” She explained, glancing to Romanoff where she had perched on the arm of Steve’s chair, “Never liked working in dresses – impossible to move.”

Natasha gave her a small smile, nodding in understanding. “I tend to go with short cocktail style, or one with a strategic rip up the side.” She advised.

[Y/N] nodded eagerly, pointing a finger at Romanoff, “Good idea.” She said agreed, “I’ll bear that in mind for next time.”

“So, why a wedding dress?” Asked Steve, reluctantly joining in with the question, his own curiosity getting the better of him.

[Y/N] seemed ready for this question. “I was working undercover for some high-up person that had received some threats.” She explained, “He had a daughter getting married and I was the decoy bride – it was actually quite fun.” She added with a grin.

“So, what happened?” Romanoff questioned expectantly.

“Uh – well it all went smoothly till the ‘big day’,” [Y/N] said, looking between each of them, “but then – like I had predicted – the – uh – ‘bad guy’,” She coughed, “decided he wanted to be all ‘dramatic’” She said, waving her hands and rolling her eyes, “And tried to make good on his threat during the ceremony – specifically as the bride – well, me – walked up the aisle.”

Everyone was listening fascinated to [Y/N] now, waiting for her to go on. “So, I was nearly at my ‘beloved husband’ when the shot went off.” She told them, “Luckily for me either he was a crap shooter, or I moved just a bit too slowly, because the bullet only skimmed my waist.” She explained, pointing to her side where Loki remembered the large gash on bodice of the wedding dress had been. “Hurt like a bitch, but didn’t kill me.” She shrugged like it was nothing. “After that I was off after the guy. And the rest is history.” She said simply.

“So, you got him?” Steve asked.

[Y/N] nodded proudly.

“Phhff.” Clint let out, leaning back in his chair, “Lucky that shot didn’t do more damage.”

Steve frowned. “Wait, so did you come straight to the party after the wedding?”

[Y/N] nodded, “I stitched myself up a bit crudely before-hand, but - yeah.” She shrugged, “I needed the drink.” She winked.

Everyone was looking at her in surprise.

“Oh,” She said noticing the look on their faces, “Shit, I’m sorry, I didn’t ruin the party, or anything did I? - I wasn’t going to come, but I needed a drink and I remembered Stark saying –“

“No, no, it’s fine,” Natasha said quickly, “It’s just – well – are you alright?” She asked, glancing up and down [Y/N] as if expecting to suddenly see blood oozing from her.

“Oh, yeah no, I’m fine!” [Y/N] dismissed with a grin. “Well, apart from one thing…” She said, suddenly turning serious again.

They all looked at her expectantly.

“Well… I actually came her to ask a favour…” She trailed off meekly.

“What’s up, kid?” Asked Tony.

“Well… I was wondering – and feel free to say no – but I was wondering if I could crash on a couch for a few days before I head off again?” [Y/N] asked anxiously, biting her lip.

“No problem, chick.” Stark said.

“Really?”

“Yeah, I’m sure we can arrange something,” He nodded. “I would have offered earlier,” He frowned, “But I was under the impression that you had a place to stay in the city.” He said, his eyes flashing to Loki in the kitchen who had once again turned his back on them, but who was still listening intently. [Y/N]’s eyes flashed to Loki as well.

“I did.” She nodded, her eyes turning back to Tony again. “But it’s come to my attention that the man I took down at the wedding was only one small cog,” She said, knowing what they all knew what she meant. “I saw an unmarked van drive off soon after I took him down, and I have to assume for the moment that for my identity may have been compromised.” [Y/N] explained. “Until I know the full extent of what I am dealing with, I was hoping to be able to stay in a place in a place with a few more things in the way of protection and surveillance.” She winked.

Tony grinned at her compliment to his beloved tower, “Like I said kid, I’m sure we can arrange something.”

“God knows there’s enough rooms in this tower.” Clint muttered, Thor nodding in agreement to this – clearly both of them having got lost in the building at one time or another.

[Y/N] grinned gratefully between all of them, “Cheers, guys, that’s a weight off my shoulders.” She paused, “I hope it goes without saying that no tells Nick?” She asked, looking to Steve and Thor, who nodded eagerly, then snapping her eyes briefly to the kitchen, looking at Loki who tilted his head ever so slightly – he didn’t exactly want Fury in the same building as him anyway.

“Great!” [Y/N] said, keeping her eye contact with Loki for a moment so he almost felt like the word was aimed at him, until she then glanced away, turning to her attention back to the others.

“I can send a car around to pick up your stuff.” Offered Tony.

[Y/N] shook her head, “No need, I’ve got everything.” She said gesturing to her small rucksack at the side of the room.

“That’s all you own?” Steve asked in disbelief.

[Y/N] hummed, “Pretty much.” She shrugged. “Gotta pack light when you move around as much as I do.” She explained.

There was packing light, and there was that rucksack, Loki thought. It could only possibly contain a few changes of clothes and a couple of valuables – no wonder she was still wearing the outfit Romanoff had given her.

It wasn’t long before Tony had ordered a small army to arrange a room for [Y/N] and offered her the run of the tower should she want it. [Y/N] politely accepted the offer, but decided that all she needed in that moment was some breakfast, and so was now heading towards the kitchen where still stood, long since finished eating, but now busying himself with nothing in particular for the excuse to remain in the room and listen in.

“Hello again.” [Y/N] greeted when she entered the large kitchen area.

Loki nodded civilly.

She looked him up and down as she poured herself a glass of orange juice.

“Not feeling particular sociable?” She asked, indicating his choice to remain in the kitchen rather than join those in the lounge area.

Loki just looked at her, not impressed with her idea of small talk and wishing for her to leave him alone.

“You know,” She said, tilting her head, “You don’t say much.”

He nodded in answer - just to annoy her - and wondered where she was going with this.

“It kind of gives off a weird tall, dark and mysterious vibe.” She observed as she studied him.

“I know.” He muttered, looking her straight in the eye. He didn’t see any fear or mistrust in it – so maybe she just didn’t know who he was. “You know what else I know?” He murmured in a silky, almost seductive, voice, as he stepped towards her.

She raised her eyebrows in polite question and he smirked at her innocence, stepping even closer till the distance between them was negligible. “I also know that everything you said in there was a lie.” He murmured in her ear. Before she could respond, he had smoothly swept past her, heading back to the peace of his room.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, so I’ve finally slept which is positive! haha
> 
> I’m seeing this series being longer than I originally intended, but I’ll try to stop myself rambling too much and get to the point sooner rather than later to attempt to shorten the number of parts!  
> If anyone is interested the song that inspired this series is called Fucked Up by The Young Rising Sons. It’s not quite as obvious as Slow Dance was, but you might see some similarities!
> 
> Hope you enjoyed it! Let me know what you think if you can!


	5. Part 5

Loki didn’t bother to leave his room until much later that evening, when he was certain that everyone would have retired for the night and he wouldn’t be expected to interact with anyone.

He headed out of his room and down the corridor, stopping at the elevator and pressing the button to call it to his floor, impatiently watching the annoying amber lights tick above him as he waited for the crude Midgardian technology to arrive.

When the doors finally did slide open with their usual obnoxious ping, Loki faltered in his movement into the metal box when he saw someone was already inside.

He didn’t initially recognise [Y/N], her previously long hair had now been cut short and it was no longer the natural colour it had been before, instead it was now a deep shade of purple.

Loki didn’t say anything, instead he promptly turned and headed off towards the stairwell which he knew was only a short distance down the corridor.

“Hey, wait!” He heard [Y/N] call from behind him as she ran out of the lift. “Can I have a word?”

“No.” Loki said without any hesitation or even turning his head.

“Haha.” [Y/N] laughed, jogging to catch up with him, falling in step just behind him. “That’s funny ‘cause ‘no’ is one word.” She pointed out.

Loki made no comment, just heading through the door into the stairwell, not bothering it open for [Y/N] who continued to follow on behind him.

Loki moved in quick strides up the stairs, [Y/N] tromping up after him, too busy focusing on keeping up with him to manage much of a conversation.

When they entered the communal living floor, Loki headed to the kitchen, whilst [Y/N] headed, instead, to the sofas, throwing herself down on one of the couches, and watching Loki’s movements from the comfort of the cushions.

“I did my research into you.” She pointed out, as he moved amongst the counters.

Loki shot a glance back at the girl on the sofa, but didn’t say anything - not wanting to encourage her to continue to try to talk to him – and instead turning his attention back to what he was doing as he reached for a loaf of bread.

“Your Loki.” [Y/N] told him.

“I’m aware of that.” He muttered, still not turning his attention.

“And you’re from Asgard, like Thor.”

“Somewhat.” He didn’t bother to correct her – it would require him to actually care what she thought.

“And now you’re sentenced to this tower because of New York.”

“Can I ask why you are telling me everything I already know?” He asked, finally turning to glare at [Y/N] who still lounged completely relaxed on the sofa. He didn’t exactly need someone repeating his history to him.

The girl just shrugged at him, “I thought it was interesting.” She admitted.

Loki rolled his eyes, turning back to the kitchen counter, deciding not to pursue the subject any further, it was best to ignore the odd woman, even if there was a bit of him that was intrigued by her.

“I also wanted to applaud you for nearly dropping a whole security facility on my father.” [Y/N] called over to him.

Loki paused just before he cut into the bread. Did he hear her right? He glanced over his shoulder at her again, raising an eyebrow in question. “You wish to applaud me for that?”

She nodded happily, not trace of a lie in her eyes.

Loki frowned at her in confusion. The others had said she hated Fury, but there was difference between hating someone, and being pleased that that ‘someone’ had only narrowly avoided a fatal accident.

She almost sounded like him.

She was odd.

He turned back to what he was doing, hoping she had said what she’d wanted to say and now she’d leave him alone.

Of course, he underestimated the girl’s persistence.

“You know, I think they treat you unfairly.”

Loki closed his eyes in annoyance, as he cut into the hunk of bread, stopping himself from asking who she was referring too, though he could give it a good guess.

She carried on despite his lack of reaction to her comment.

“I mean, they seem to completely ignore you most of the time.” She pointed out, “And Stark goaded you so much at the party - I don’t blame you for wanting to smack him one – I would have understood if you dropped me.” She chatted away.

Loki frowned down at the bread board, memories of the night of the party flashing to the forefront of his mind - when Stark had patted him on the back with a remark of ‘Good luck’ as Loki had held [Y/N] who he had assumed had been practically passed out in his arms - and was by no means listening in.

“You were quite the gentleman.” [Y/N] added, pulling Loki from this memories, and making him stiffen slightly, gripping the bread knife in his hand a bit harder.

[Y/N] seemed to notice this. “What, don’t like being called a gentleman?” She teased innocently.

“It is a lie.” He stated through gritted teeth, glaring stonily down at the slice of bread he had cut. The truth was, no one had ever called him that – but they’d never had reason to.

“I beg to disagree.” [Y/N] said firmly, and out of the corner of his eye Loki saw her get to her feet.

“Take the party for example.” She stated, “You could have let me fall off that bar stool when I reached for you, but you didn’t. You could have just ignored my drunken, unbalanced state and walked off – and I know you wanted to – but you didn’t.” She listed, stepping towards him the whole time, “You could have insisted for Stark to take me off your hands, even when I refused to release you, but you didn’t. And you could have insisted on getting out of the car once I had finally let go of you, but you didn’t, you made sure I got home.” She said in finality, now having reached the kitchen, standing on the opposite side on the kitchen island to him.

Loki turned to her fully now, a look of annoyance on his face.

Face it, my friend, you are a gentleman.” [Y/N] concluded happily, shifting herself onto one of the stools that lined the counter edge.

Loki glared at her in disbelief, whilst she continue to smile happily, satisfied with argument and unfazed by his expression.

“You are telling me, that throughout the entire time I had to deal you at that party, you were neither inebriated or close to unconsciousness?” He demanded with a snarl.

[Y/N] shook her head with a wide, shameless grin, clearly only proud of her actions.

Loki glared at her angrily. “And what,” he snarled, “Did you hope to gain from your little performance?”

“To gather intelligence.”

“On what?” He growled.

“You.”

“Why?” He demanded, his annoyance growing with every vague answer.

She rolled her eyes at his perseverance. “I’ve heard the stories of Loki, ‘God of Lies and Mischief’, from my father, from agents, from the avengers…” She said, trailing off, studying him in interest across the kitchen island, resting her chin on her hand, arm resting on the counter. “But then I met you at the party.” She told him. “And I didn’t believe a word of anything they’d said.”

He narrowed her eyes at her, trying to ignore how she looked when she was concentrating on him. “Why not?” He questioned suspiciously.

“Couldn’t see it in you.” [Y/N] shrugged.

Loki scoffed at her, “I think your eyes are deceiving you.” He muttered snidely, “I’m every bit the monster they warned I was.”

[Y/N] gave a short bark of laughter at this, though there was no humour in it. “They’ve told you how terrible you must be so often now, that even you believe it.” She said, sounding almost like she was disappointed in him.

But she didn’t even know him.

“You have not lived in this building for even 24 hours, and have barely spoken to me in the short period of time since you have met me, and yet you presume to think you know me?” He snarled furiously, seeming to gain in height with his rage until he towered intimidatingly over her.

A thrill ran through [Y/N] at the sight of Loki’s face darkening, but despite the slight fear of her vulnerable position, she couldn’t deny how his anger only enhanced his beauty, making his sharp cheekbones stand out more, and deepening the green in his eyes.

All this though, she kept behind a façade, barely batting an eyelid at his rage. “I don’t need to know you to see things.” She said simply, her voice steady and her gaze unwavering.

“And I don’t need to know you to know that you have barely spoken a word of truth to anyone since you’ve arrived.” He snapped back.

“Yes,” [Y/N] nodded in agreement at his accusation, looking at him with polite interest, “How did you know, that?” She asked casually, like she was merely intrigued for the answer - and it wasn’t in fact a major spanner in her plan.

Loki glared at her, slightly confused by her attitude, hoping to have hurt her with his words. “You don’t deny it then?”

[Y/N] shrugged, “What can I say? You’ve got me.”

He watched her for a moment, thoroughly confused by the girl and how relaxed she was being. To lie to such an extent – especially people she seemed so relaxed around, mean there was something rather big that she was trying to hide. And something sensitive.

“You are easy to read.” Loki eventually admitted, answering her earlier question, despite his wish to ask her far more.

She raised an eyebrow, doubting this statement and watching him back. “Are the others aware?” She asked eventually, trying to sound aloof, but he could hear something in her voice that told him she did actually care what the answer was.

“No.” He said truthfully, for some reason not wanting to tease her with the information.

“I thought you said I was easy to read.” She smirked slightly and her eyes danced with humour.

“For those that are actually trying to.” He answered, his lips pulling up slightly with hers.

[Y/N] smirked properly now.

By now, Loki had prepped his meal and was ready to leave, but the peculiar girl was making him linger. A moment ago he had been tempted to throw a knife at her, now she had somehow managed to soften him back into an almost amicable mood.

More annoyingly, he couldn’t place why.

“Can I ask a favour then?” [Y/N] asked, breaking into his mind once more as she shifted in her seat, leaning further across the island and closer to him. Her voice was calmer now, lacking it’s previous energy, sounding almost anxious for the usually confident girl. “Can I ask one more thing from the gentleman?” She teased lightly.

Loki scowled at her, but [Y/N] could tell it wasn’t as serious as his previous scowls, and it didn’t stop her continuing on as though he had agreed to listen. “Can you keep my little fabrications to yourself?”

Loki studied her, still trying to work the girl out. What was going on that she felt she couldn’t tell the Avengers – they were supposed to be the good guys. Did this mean what she had done was not a ‘good’ thing?

“Who spilled that wine on your dress?” He finally asked, his voice almost seductive.

[Y/N] frowned at him in confusion. Why was he asking her that? Why couldn’t he just answer the question and either put her mind at ease, or let her know if she needed to get out of here sooner rather than later? She didn’t answer his question, staring back at him unwaveringly. Was he playing a game? Testing her? Why was his voice suddenly so alluring?

“Who burned you with their cigarette?” He tried again, his voice deep and husky, his eyes flickering to her chest, remembering the state of the bodice of the wedding dress, and then to her arms where they rested on the kitchen island, the bare skin still showing the small red, puckered marks of the burns.

Still [Y/N] refused to answer, only pursing her lips as his gaze moved over her body.

Loki smirked to himself. He might not have wanted to toy with her earlier, but – now she had confused him so much – he didn’t feel bad about what he was about to do.

He grabbed his plate of food, and walked round the kitchen counter, pausing at her side to bend down, his lips by her ear, mimicking his actions from the night before - knowing that was bound to make her anxious.

“I’m no gentleman.” He murmured darkly, immediately striding off back to his room. This time [Y/N] didn’t try to follow him.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok guys, I’ve got an early morning so I do need to sleep tonight, so this one might be a bit rushed, and I’m not 100% sure that Loki is in character, so I apologise for that!
> 
> I’ve been a bit distracted in my writing, so I’m going to try and get back into it again! Hopefully! (i’ve got a few requests to do haha)
> 
> Let me know what you think! Hope you enjoy!


	6. Part 6

Loki had been drinking. A lot. Far more than usual and at a faster higher rate. This meant that, despite it being weak Midgardian drink, it was actually finally having a slight effect on him.

All because of that [Y/N] woman. Who knew she could be more annoying than her father?

Of course, she was annoying in a different way to her dad – it was the incessive mystery around her that drove him the maddest. The fact nearly every word out of her lips was a lie, yet he didn’t know why or what she was hiding.

Then it was just her in general. She was a styled mess, every changing, her hair always slightly different, the shade varying, her nails always a different colour, each day a new scrape on her skin, a new rip in her clothes. She was like a constantly shifting illusion - it was no wonder she was so skilled in slipping under people’s radars.

She was also ever present. Whenever Loki deigned to venture from his room [Y/N] always seemed to be there waiting for him - or would find him out within a few minutes.

She always spoked to him like he was as good as an Avenger, as though one of his past transgression made any difference to her. Like he was the gentleman she kept insisting he was.

It was driving him insane.

“Tough day?” [Y/N]’s familiar voice rang out next to him, breaking away from the group - made up of Thor, Barton, Romanoff and Rogers - who were sat around the large television screen watching a movie of some sorts.

She was chewing on something and, as she waited for Loki’s response, she produced an odd, pink bubble from between her lips that sharply popped a moment later.

“What in Odin’s name are you eating?”

She frowned at his question. “It’s bubblegum.” She said as though it was obvious.

“Of course, it is…” Drawled Loki dryly, still having no idea what this was, but the name gave him all the information he needed.

[Y/N] grinned at his grumpy mood, unperturbed, and then glanced across at the bottle sat next to him. “Was that full when you started?”

“What if it was?”

She raised her eyebrows at him, “I’d say it’s pretty impressive that you’re still taking coherently -that’s Stark’s premium stuff.”

“I know.” Loki said, finishing his glass. “I’ve already finished the poorer quality bottle he gave me.”

[Y/N] burst out in laughter at this, and Loki felt his lips pull up slightly - her mirth infectious - and he found himself smirking as he turned to refill his drink.

“Pour me a glass.” [Y/N] instructed, as she pushed herself up onto the stood next to him - Loki didn’t miss the wince that cross her face at this movement.

If it had been anyone else, Loki might have thrown the glass at them for ordering him around, but for some reason he found himself complying with the girl’s demand.

“Thank-a you.” She grinned as he slid the glass towards her. As she reached for the drink, Loki caught sight of something on the back of her hand. A closer inspection showed that it was a large scratch that ran from her knuckle towards her wrist.

“Another brawl at a courtship ceremony?” He questioned, and - though it was hard to pull his gaze from the wound – he looked away to the back wall of the bar, sipping at his drink.

[Y/N] frowned at him in confusion, catching his eye and Loki inclined his head towards her hand which was now holding her glass. Her eyes lit up with understanding and she twisted her wrist slightly - carefully not to spill the glass - as she too looked over the wound.

“Ah, uh – ha,” She said, letting out a short chuckle, “No, uh - I underestimated Nat with a knife.” She explained.

Loki raised a brow, his face questioning but calm, yet something fluttered within him.

“Training.” [Y/N] clarified at his expression. “I’m getting rather rusty lying around here.”

“You left your arm behind when she struck.” It wasn’t a question.

“Good guess.” [Y/N] commended with a nod, taking a drink.

“It wasn’t a guess.”

[Y/N] smirked at him over her glass before taking a sip. Suddenly an impish look appeared in her eye and before Loki could question why, her glass was flying towards his face. Even in his inebriated state, Loki easily batted it away with a flick of his hand, the glass instead smashing into the shelves on the back wall of the bar, shaking the bottles that stood on it.

Everyone who had been watching the movie snapped their heads around, Barton and Rogers both jumping to their feet on full alert. When they both just saw Loki and [Y/N] sat together at the bar, they noticeably relaxed.

“What the hell was that?” Demanded Barton.

Loki was glaring daggers at [Y/N] whilst she was grinning triumphantly. “Just testing Loki’s reflexes.” She explained, that cheeky look still in her eyes.

“Maybe don’t threaten Stark’s beloved alcohol stash next time.” Suggested Romanoff from the sofa, “He seems to have a sixth sense when it comes to those bottles.”

[Y/N] noticed Steve, Thor and Clint glance at the door - as though expecting Tony to suddenly appear there. When he didn’t, they relaxed back onto the chairs. “Yeah, maybe you kids should flirt somewhere else.” Clint suggested, his eyes already back on the movie.

“No need.” Growled Loki. “I was just leaving.” With that, he got to his feet and abruptly strode to the door.

\---------------------------------------------------------------

[Y/N] watched Loki leave with a small smirk. It was funny how she seemed to annoy him so much - not that she wouldn’t expect someone to get annoyed if a glass was thrown at their head, but it had proved a point to herself.

She had been trying to avoid the ‘God’ ever since she had arrived, but everywhere she went he was either already there, or would turn up within a few moments. She hopped down from her seat. This time however, [Y/N] was going to purposefully follow after him.

“I’m not sure that would be smart, [Y/N],” Thor called from the sofa, guessing her intentions, “You seem to have irked him somewhat.”

“Thanks for the advice but I think I can handle him.” [Y/N] reassured him with a wave of her hand. Thor didn’t look particularly comforted by this, but he was slowly learning that this girl seemed to have no fear, and he could only watch in concern as she continued after his brother.

\--------------------------------------------------------------------------

That woman was an ongoing stress test, Loki thought as he strode down the hall. She had insisted on calling him a gentleman, ordered him around and now was throwing glasses at him.

She must have a few screws loose, as the Midgardians said.

“Hey!”

Loki closed his eyes. God she was persistent. He neither stop nor slowed, instead continued walking, trying to ignore her like the annoying buzzing fly she was.

“Hey!” She called again, “Reindeer games!”

Curse that nickname. Curse Stark. He kept walking, now hearing her feet slapping on the floor as she broke into a jog.

When she drew level with him and he still didn’t slow or even acknowledge her presence, she jogged in front of him and stopped directly in his path, unsurprisingly holding her own.

Loki still didn’t stop though, walking straight at her, his eyes direct ahead and looking right through her. He still didn’t show any signs of stopping as he drew closer and the next thing [Y/N] knew he was walking straight through her and vanishing in a flickering shimmer of gold.

[Y/N] couldn’t help stepping back in surprise, then seemed to realise what had happened, glancing around the corridor. She noticed him then, stood at the end of the corridor watching her fall for his ruse.

“Nice magic trick.” She complimented, now walking towards him.

Suddenly she was thrown sideways into the wall, pinned by an arm against her chest and a blade at her throat. “I know.” Loki sneered above her.

[Y/N] glanced up the corridor where he had been a moment ago, only to see the illusion grinning wickedly at her before it too vanished in a flicker.

She returned her eyes back on the man in front of her. “I’m guessing you’re the real one then? Can you pull a rabbit out of a hat for me next?” She asked cheekily.

He glared at her. “You are stupidly confident that I will not cut your throat right now.” He snarled, pushing the blade closer to her neck.

She instinctively tilted her head back at the pressure on her throat. “I guess so.” She affirmed, still seeming rather unconcerned given her position.

Loki gritted his teeth. “Care to tell me why you won’t leave me alone?”

[Y/N] didn’t say anything, instead looked pointedly – as best as she could - down at the knife held against her. Loki rolled his eyes, retracting the blade but keeping a firm hold on her.

She lowered her head so she comfortably look at him again and Loki was suddenly aware of how close their faces were, but he didn’t pull back.

“I came to ask about that.” [Y/N] said– seeming completely unaffected by how close they were - nodding her head to where the knife was now held by his side. Loki eyed her suspiciously. “I want you to show me some moves.” She explained.

He raised an eyebrow at her request.

“Aww come on,” She faux-whined, “Why not?”

“Tell me why I would?”

“Because you’r-“

“If you call me a gentleman once more time,” He warned, pushing her harder into the wall. “by the Allfather I’ll-“

[Y/N] tried to stop herself wincing, but Loki was pressing on the still tender burns on her chest. “Ah – no.” She interrupted him, gasping in pain. The noise shocked Loki and he immediately relaxed the pressure on her, a flicker of concern passing over his face - though it was instantly replaced with an emotionless mask before she could notice. “I was just going to say you’re the best with knives –“ [Y/N] continued, “you’ve clearly got good reflexes –“ She smirked, despite the dull throbbing on her chest. Loki scowled at this - now seeing it was true about the glass being to check his reactions, “- and I’ve got to keep my skills evolving or else I’ll be useless in combat – Natasha proved that much.”

Loki thought back to the cut on [Y/N]’s hand – and the idea that it could have been much worse if she hadn’t just been sparring with one of the Avengers.

Damn. He wished he didn’t care.

His attention turned back to her. “I will agree to this,” He told her sternly, “only, if you agree to tell me what you are hiding.” He added slyly.

The flicker of fear across her face was brief, but Loki caught it. And it intrigued him. She was tense under his arm and he seemed to have stunned her into silence for a moment.

“You never told them about that?” She eventually asked, uncharacteristically quiet.

The sudden vulnerability in her voice surprised Loki. “No, I have not.” He confessed, his voice almost soft.

“And you still won’t?” She impressed firmly, her eyes hard and steely, daring him to tell her something she didn’t want to hear.

His fascination with this woman flared again. What was she withholding? “I shall not,” He promised, “As long as you finally tell me something true.”

“And you’ll train me?” She demanded almost angrily.

“Fine.”

She eyed him sternly for a moment before she relaxed under his arm again. She nodded in consent.

Loki stepped back, finally releasing [Y/N] and she seemed to sag in fatigue for a moment before she perked up again. “So, when do we start?” She asked, her voice almost back to its usual cheeriness.

“Tomorrow morning. Early. You won’t be sleeping anyway.” He said, a knowing look in his eye.

The fact he knew this seemed to surprise [Y/N] again - a slight blush appearing on her cheeks - but she quickly recovered. “Good.” She nodded, “Well. I’m going for another drink.” She declared, already taking the first few steps back down the corridor to the lounge.

“Are your wounds hurting?” Loki asked slyly.

[Y/N] paused, her back already to him. She hesitated. “Uh – yeah.” She mumbled, before continuing forward.

Loki watched her disappear down the corridor before turning, himself, to continue back to his room.

A few screws loose indeed.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it’s been so long since I’ve posted a part for this story! I hope this chapter makes up for it a bit!
> 
> I’ve also spent the day working out the story a bit so for once I might now be winging a fan fiction completely! haha
> 
> Hope you like it! (and loki isn’t too out of character!)


	7. Part 7

Loki easily dodged the knife that was slashed towards his face, immediately bringing one of his own blades up to counter the next attack. “You don’t hesitate.” He observed, completely calm despite the onslaught of attacks on his person.

“I wouldn’t in a fight.” [Y/N] pointed out as she lunged forward again, “so it’s unrealistic to do so in training.” She gasped, seeing his side now vulnerable and aiming for this. Loki easily saw her move though and caught her knife with his own, then deflected it away.

“The speed is commendable,” He noted, striking back now so the girl had to quickly bring up her weapon in defence. “But do not fight in the very moment,” He instructed, breaking the contact between the knives, “you need to be focusing what to do in two moves time.” He then somehow smoothly spun the knife in his fingers and – before [Y/N] could even comprehend what he was doing - made a sharp, striking movement towards her throat, stopping just short, the blade millimetres from her skin.

“See?” He grinned triumphantly, mischief in his eyes and still holding the knife to her.

She scowled up at him. “Do it again.” She demanded, dropping the arm she had instinctively brought up at the attack – though it had been nowhere near quick enough to stop him. Loki smirked and dropped his weapon as well.

The two continued on like this for a while in the brightly lit training room. Loki would show [Y/N] a move and then make her repeat it multiple times until he was content the action was sooth and had no hesitation. After enough of this, he would make her string everything together into a sequence.

Finally, Loki - somehow still looking pristine and unfatigued despite the many hours of work – called an end to the demonstrations and, instead, suggested a freeform fight - he would give no instructions, [Y/N] would have to make the moves she saw fit to try and win.

“Bring it.” [Y/N] panted from where she rested, crouched with her back against one of the walls of the room, a water bottle in her hand. She looked hot and tired – not surprising as it was the early hours of the morning and she had yet to sleep - but Loki could see the determination in her eye that told him she could not refuse his challenge.

“Ready?” He asked after a few moments, taking a step back into position. [Y/N] nodded, pushing herself up and drawing her knives once more, taking up a fighting stance.

“Begin.” Loki instructed.

It was clear [Y/N] was exhausted. She was slower, her stabs weaker, but Loki had to admit that for a Midgardian she was holding up well.

However, she eventually seemed to reach her limit, managing to block Loki’s attack at her waist, but a strong shove from him finally spent her falling onto her back, completely out of breath.

[Y/N] dropped her knives at her sides and held her hands up in defeat. “Ok.” She panted with a weary grin. “You win. Have mercy.”

Loki almost found himself smiling back, but his good humour drained away when [Y/N] pushed herself up onto her elbows and something caught his eye. There was a red spot on the floor just behind her.

“Can I get a hand?” [Y/N] smirked, throwing up a hand to Loki, not noticing how he had seemed to stiffen. When he showed no response to her gesture, she sighed impatiently. “Fine, I’ll get up myself.” She scowled playfully, scrambling to her feet. Loki studied her face, not missing the slight wince she gave as she moved.

“Turn around.” He commanded suddenly.

“What?” She asked in surprise.

“You’re bleeding.” He said bluntly, his eyes travelling back to the floor where the red smeared remained. 

“Oh?” [Y/N] followed his gaze, glancing back down at the floor where she had been a minute ago. “Oh.” Her face fell at the sight. “Uh – you must have just caught my back at some point I guess - I’m sure it’ll be fine.” She dismissed breezily with a wave of her hand.

“I never touched your back.” Loki stated, frowning darkly at the deceit.

“Ah…” [Y/N] hummed, “Maybe it’s just a scratch that’s reopened.” She shrugged, “I’m sure it’ll be fine.”

“Let me look.”

“Oh I don’t think that’s neces-“ Before she could finish, Loki had taken the few long strides he needed to stand right next to her. “Turn around.” He growled lowly in her ear.

She scowled but did as he said. Loki felt his throat tighten at the sight – the material covering her back already stained with a considerable amount of blood. [Y/N] didn’t protest when he reached for the bottom of her shirt, but he felt her tense - already well aware of what Loki would see when he pulled her top up .

[Y/n}’s back was horribly marred with a series of scars. They littered her skin, some small and discreet, others large and proud, many of them now sluggishly oozing blood.

“Would you believe me if I said that I’m shit at guarding my back?” She joked weakly, barely glancing over her shoulder at him. Loki’s silence told her his answer to that. “Could you – uh –“ She muttered, now stepping away from him and self-consciously pulling her shirt back down, cheeks hot.

She turned to him, his eyes holding the question that he wasn’t asking. She dropped her eyes, “Old injuries, from old jobs.” She said vaguely, bending down to pick up her knives, sheathing them as she then made her way back to the side of the room where her water bottle sat on a table that held a variety of daggers she had been trying out.

Loki watched her stained back. “Those need tending.” He pointed out rigidly.

“I’ll sort it out.” She dismissed, gulping down some much-needed water.

“They need tending now.” He stated more firmly. “Or else they will become infected.”

[Y/N] rolled her eyes at his persistence. “Fine.” She grumbled, putting the water back down and squatting down to reach under the table. Loki noted how her face scrunched up in pain until she straightened up again, a first aid kit in her hand.

She opened up the kit and examined the contents as Loki watched on. [Y/N] took a wad of gauze and poured some alcohol onto it, lifting a corner of her shirt to apply it to an open scar close to her hip. She gritted her teeth at the pain.

She continued to tend herself for a few minutes, but it was clear she was struggling and would be unable to reach most of the wounds, the contortion required only adding to the pain.

“Would you like some help?” Loki asked, suddenly seeming to appear next to her.

[Y/N] jumped slightly but then sighed, dropping her hand from her back and nodding reluctantly. “Thank you.” She mumbled.

Loki slid the kit away from her. The options available were largely foreign to him, but he recognised something similar to his idea of bandage material. “Turn.” He commanded. [Y/N] gritted her teeth but turned anyway. “Take your shirt off.” Loki instructed.

She laughed weakly, “I’ve usually had a few drinks first.”

“It will make it easier.” Loki said. [Y/N] frowned at his poor humour, but did as he instructed, glad that she was wearing a half decent sports bra.

Loki had a clear view of her back now and he studied each mark. “There’s some alcohol in the bag.” [Y/N] said, taking his silence for uncertainty, “Wash the wounds out with that and –“

“I know what I’m doing.” He growled and [Y/N] bit her lip to stop herself retorting, instead waiting for the agony of the alcohol on her back. When it came, she hissed through her teeth, cringing away from the contact.

“Old jobs?” He asked conversationally, pausing in his work until [Y/N] relaxed back again.

“What can I say – ah,” She hissed, as he continued his work, “some countries don’t appreciate my interference and – uh – ah,” She winced at a particularly painful scar, “some still have some rather – uh – primitive punishments.”

“You were whipped.” It wasn’t a question. 

“Multiple times in multiple countries.” [Y/N] confirmed, rather nonchalantly.

Loki viewed the deep wounds again, now replacing the alcohol in the kit. What she said was mostly true – Loki knew the typical signs of a whipping victim – but it still wasn’t the complete story. Some of the wounds on her back were irregular and unusual angles - odd for a flaying pattern.

Another secret of hers.

“Do you ever speak any truth?” He scowled lightly, moving to pick up the bandaging material. He almost found it humorous now.

“That is true.” She defended stubbornly.

“Parts of it.” He agreed.

She let out a short bark of laughter. “Ok, you can have this truth.” She conceded as he began to wrap the bandage around her back and chest, placing padding over the cuts that bled. “You know the night of the party? When you dropped me at the house?”

“Quite well.” He muttered as he worked.

“Well… I broke into that house…” She confessed.

Loki paused in his work, frowning. “I’m guessing that is not because you forgot your keys.” He muttered, padding out a large scar.

“No.” She snorted in laughter. “I – well I didn’t have a place to stay in the city – had no money for a hotel.” She explained, lifting her arms as he began to work further up her chest. “Didn’t take much to research a house whose occupants were currently on holiday.”

Loki reached for a new roll of bandages. There were only a few open scars on [Y/N]’s upper back, those under her sports bra already sufficiently protected by the material, so it wasn’t necessary for him to wrap that area too. “And you couldn’t just stay in this tower?” He questioned, focusing back on the conversation.

“No.” She shook her head firmly, “Not that night. I was – I – I just couldn’t.” She said, her voice sounding almost vulnerable.

There it was again. Her secret. Something that meant she couldn’t stay the night at the tower. Something that made her commit a crime and break into an empty house.

And yet she had arrived at the tower the next day seeking accommodation for an unknown period of time.

It didn’t make sense.

And it frustrated Loki.

[Y/N] worried Loki was judging her from his silence. “Tony says I’m fucked up.” She mumbled out of nowhere.

Loki’s work faltered again for a moment before he finished tying off the material at the top of her back, frowning at his fingers - he knew enough of Midgardian language to known roughly what ‘fucked up’ meant.

“With your father, I am not surprised,” Loki remarked casually. “But I’d say you’re just obtuse.” He observed with a small smirk, his voice uncharacteristically gentle.

[Y/N] smiled weakly, turning to him as he finally finished the bandaging. Loki ignored this, moving back to the first aid kit, tidying the contents.

“Go rest.” He instructed, not looking at her. “Try not to move too much.”

“Thank you.” She said genuinely, and Loki wasn’t entirely sure what she was thanking him for. He glanced up at her as she headed for the door. She stepped out into the corridor, then paused, leaning back through the doorway. “You know you really are a gentleman!” She called back at him.

Loki’s glared at her, jaw tensing. He reached back, grabbing the knife nearest to him on the table and then sharply flicking it across the room. The metal blade embedded itself in the door frame next to [Y/N] but she didn’t even flinch, just continued to grin widely at him, before blowing him a kiss and then vanishing out of the door.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Hey guys, so here’s the next part! I think I vaguely know where I want to go with this fan fiction…. Vaguely….
> 
> Hope you enjoy it!  
> Let me know what you think!


	8. Part 8

Loki couldn’t stop thinking about [Y/N] and her scars. Or her secrets.

The fact that she had told him that tiny nugget of truth – the fact that she had broken into the house on the night of the party - only drove him to wonder more about the other secrets she was withholding from him.

Loki also knew, that the woman was very unlikely to spill any more of her secrets without a very good reason to do so and - for some reason - the idea of manipulating the girl to that point oddly didn’t appeal to him.

He hated what he was going to have to stoop to instead.

“Oh – uh – hey…” Romanoff greeted, surprised and confused when she opened her door to see Loki outside in the corridor. “Do you – uh - need something?”

Loki’s expression didn’t change at the less than warm welcome, expecting it. “It has come to my attention that you are the closet person in this tower to [Y/N].” He stated. “And I require some answers about her.”

The agent frowned at him. “Right… Well – uh - as tempting as that sounds….” She hummed warily, shifting her weight onto one leg to lean against the doorframe. “I’m not sure I can help you – or if I even want to help you.”

Loki scowled, “I don’t mean any harm by the information,” He growled, “But something has come to my attention that I hoped you might know more about.”

“And what’s that?” She muttered, crossing her arms over her chest.

“Miss Fury’s scars.”

Romanoff raised an eyebrow. “Which ones?” She smirked, though the humour didn’t quite meet her eyes.

“The one’s on her back.”

“And how do you know about those?” Romanoff studied him suspiciously.

Loki’s face remained expressionless. “I’m not sure that is your business to know.” He muttered, but the agent just glared at him, clearly refusing to tell him anything whilst he wasn’t telling her anything in return. Loki huffed out an annoyed sigh. “I was helping her train. Her back began to bleed.”

Romanoff still looked sceptical. “You were training with her? Why?”

“Must I be questioned so much, Agent?” Loki growled. Romanoff just continued to glare at him in answer though. Loki sighed dramatically. “I agreed to help her with her knife skills after she told me about the wound you gave her.” He said impatiently.

“The wound I gave her?” Romanoff’s brow furrowed in confusion.

“Yes.” Loki growled irritably, this whole conversation taking much longer than he hoped. “The gash on the back of her hand.”

“I haven’t cut her hand.” Romanoff told him, confused. “[Y/N] told you that?”

“She said the two of you had been training when it happened.”

“We’ve never trained.” Romanoff told him, puzzled. “She hasn’t trained with anyone whilst she’s been here – that I know of she hasn’t trained at all.”

Another lie of [Y/N]’s, then.

But the wound had been new. She hadn’t got it from the ‘wedding’ - it hadn’t been there on the night of the party.

How had she got that wound on her hand that meant she had to lie about that as well?

Loki was becoming more and more frustrated with all this secrecy.

“The scars on her back.” Loki growled, his annoyance clear in his voice. “What do you know about them?”

Romanoff continued to frown, still thinking about [Y/N]’s lie herself. “I caught sight of them at the party when she was getting changed.” She told him.

“Do you know how she got them?”

The agent at him again, as though suddenly remembering who he was and that she shouldn’t really be telling him anything. “She’s been captured on jobs before.” Romanoff said, guarded again. “Floggings as punishments are not uncommon.”

“And that is how all of the scars occurred?”

Romanoff frowned, perplexed. “I believe so.” Loki scowled. “I can tell, that wasn’t the answer you wanted.”

Loki glared down at her. “It just confirms to me you know as little as I do.” He muttered.

The agent didn’t quail under his gaze. “You’re saying that the scars aren’t from torture?”

“Most of them are. But some are not.”

“Have you actually tried to ask [Y/N] about them?”

Loki nodded stiffly. “She told me just what you have.”

“And you don’t think that’s true?” Romanoff guessed.

“There’s something not right.” He muttered.

“There’s nothing right with torture.”

“I didn’t say there was.” Loki growled.

“Look, Loki – as fun as this has been,” Romanoff said, shifting off the door frame to stand up straight, “I’ve got to go talk to Stark.”

\-------------------------------------------------------------------------------

Loki had left then, having gained nothing from the conversation with Agent Romanoff other than the confirmation that the odd marks on [Y/N]’s back were definitely another part of her secret, and that the [Y/N] had somehow lied to him about her hand as well.

Loki was beyond frustrated. He was known as the God of lies for a good reason - he could usually tell when people were lying - so why hadn’t he picked up on [Y/N]’s?

Had he somehow actually drunk enough of the weak Midgardian alcohol to have his perceptions numbed? It was possible - he supposed - but unlikely.

Had he just hoped that for once [Y/N] might be telling the truth?

She was making him pitiful if that was true.

Another thing that niggled at Loki’s mind was how [Y/N]’s presence no longer seemed to irk him as much as it had before. In fact, he almost seemed to miss her when she wasn’t around - something which was becoming more and more often, as though she was now trying to avoid him, always making an excuse to the leave the room whenever he entered it and no longer appearing everywhere he looked.

It was obvious [Y/N] knew Loki wanted answers and she was making sure he couldn’t ask them.

Loki stepped out of the elevator and onto the communal living floor, stepping into the room and immediately spotting [Y/N] talking with Barton and Thor in the kitchen. [Y/N] looked up at the movement by the doorway, briefly catching Loki’s eye, before she quickly finished her conversation with the other two men and excused herself to her room.

Loki lingered by the doorway, forcing [Y/N] to walk right next to him, and he placed a hand on her shoulder as she tried to pass, feeling her flinch slightly under his touch.

“Hey!” She asked, stumbling slightly at the unexpected restraint. “What’s up?”

Loki leant down slightly. “Are you avoiding me?” he muttered in her ear, not bothering to beat around the bush.

“Because I want to take a nap?” {Y/N] asked with a smirk, not withdrawing away from him, but turning her head to look at his face.

“Because you keep disappearing whenever I’m around.” He said, looking directly into her eyes which were now surprisingly close.

“I think you’re just paranoid.” She chuckled with her charming smile.

He raised a disbelieving eyebrow at her. “So, you’re happy to train again tonight, then?” Loki hadn’t planned to ask that, but it had suddenly come to mind, and it seemed a good way to test her.

[Y/N] faltered, also not expecting the question, and the stretch of silence from her told Loki exactly what he needed to know – she was trying to avoid him, and she was trying to work out whether to agree or not.

“Sure – fine.” [Y/N] said, nodding, “But, if we are, then now I definitely need to take a nap.” She informed him, pointing at the door. Loki loosened his grip on her shoulder, and [Y/N] pulled away from him with a smile, giving a little wave as she departed.

Loki watched her back as she left, a slight smirk pulling at his lips. “Loki!” His head snapped around at his name to where Thor had spotted him from he still stood in the kitchen area.

“Brother.” He nodded in greeting, now forced to walk over. Barton sat on one of the stools, a plate of food in front of him, whilst Thor stood on the opposite side making himself a sandwich.

“What a pleasure to see you out and about,” Smiled Thor pleasantly, “- it almost seems to be becoming a regular occurrence.”

“Don’t get too use to it.” Loki grumbled, stopping by the edge of the island between the two men.

“It wouldn’t be because of a certain lady, would it?” Barton grinned over at him.

Loki raised an unimpressed eyebrow at the agent. “What are you implying?” He growled.

“Nothing.” Thor answered for Barton - showing he thought the same thing - “We’ve just seen a lot more of you since Miss [Y/N] has shown up - and you two always seem to have a lot to say to each.”

“She keeps trying to talk to me.” Loki growled. “And I fail to see your point.”

“Were you not just having a little whispering session over there?” Barton observed, jabbing a thumb towards the door.

“We were not whispering.” Loki muttered.

“’Hushed voices’, then,” Barton air quoted. “And you definitely started that conversation…” He pointed out with a teasing grin. “Personally, I don’t know you as someone to engage people in conversations…”

“Face it brother - I can see it – she intrigues you.”

“She’s…” Loki searched for a suitable word. “Odd.” He settled for. “- Even more so than the usual Midgardian.”

“And you’re training her?” Barton asked.

“I thought you said I was whispering?” Loki glared at him.

“Didn’t mean I couldn’t hear.” Barton grinned mischievously.

Loki sighed in annoyance. “I agreed to show her some knife moves to stop her bugging me.” He confessed.

“And now she’s stopped bugging you and you don’t like it.” Barton guessed with a smug smile. Thor laughed loudly and Loki glowered at the two of them.

“Aw come on, brother.” Thor said, moving around to clap Loki on the back, making the slimmer man take a step forward to balance himself, “We’re just teasing.”

Loki’s scowl didn’t lift. “There is reason for why I never leave my room.” He muttered irritably, now dodging past Thor, around the counter, and away from his brother’s strong reassuring pats. “As for [Y/N], I couldn’t care less about the girl - she’s just as irksome as her father.” He grumbled, stealing one of Thor’s sandwiches off his plate.

“This is one area where you cannot deceive us, brother.” He pointed out, scowling at the theft, watching as Loki took a bite of the sandwich. “Your heart is – uh – what do they say here?” Thor asked, turning to Clint.

Barton swallowed his own mouthful of food. “On your sleeve?” He answered, guessing Thor’s point.

“Yes.” Thor nodded. “Your heart is on your sleeve.” He said, pointing at Loki’s arm.

Loki paused in his eating and looked down at his arm with a frown, as though expecting to see something on his sleeve. “What the hell is that supposed to mean?” He asked, glancing back up the others when he didn’t see anything.

“It means,” Barton smirked, “That you’re showing your emotions.”

“That’s ridiculous.” Loki snarled at the agent.

“Hey, I’m just surprised you have any.” Barton said, throwing his hands up innocently.

“Face it, brother. You care for her.” Thor said with a small smile.

Loki glowered at Thor’s softness. “I don’t care for her.” He growled. “She’s the most bizarre human I have ever at the misfortune to meet – she’s annoying, goading, unrelenting,” He growled, pacing the kitchen, “a constant stress test on my temper - ”

“But you love her anyway.” Thor interrupted, stopping Loki dead in his tracks.

“Love her?!”

“Ooo, yeah I see it! He does!” Barton laughed, and Loki’s glare snapped from Thor to Barton as the agent now dropped his gaze to his plate, smirking through a bite of sandwich.

“I do not.” Loki snarled. He wanted to say something more - something smart and scathing – but, for the first time, nothing intelligible came to mind. Instead, he faltered for a moment before he did the only thing he could think of and simply turned and stormed from the room.

“Ha.” Barton laughed, turning back to his food, “He’s like a teenager in denial.”

“Yes,” Thor sighed, watching his brother’s back retreat. “He’s always been a bit juvenile when it comes to emotions…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, I’m umming and ahhing about this chapter - whether it’s any good - but I’m going with it anyway! Nothing really happens in this chapter - it’s a bit short, but I’d like to think it’s a nice filler for future chapters - I didn’t want to rush this story too much!
> 
> Hope you like it anyway!


	9. Part 9

“I’m surprised you actually chose to show.” Loki commented as [Y/N] entered the training room.

“And why is that?” She smirked, raising an eyebrow as she walked towards him.

“Because I know you’re trying to avoid me –“ Loki told her.

“I already told you I’m not –“

“- and I know you lied to me about the wound on your hand.” Loki continued, tilting his head knowingly.

[Y/N] didn’t falter in her steps, but she didn’t answer straight away, her eyes flickering down to her right hand where the gash had now begun to scab over. “What makes you think I lied about that?” She asked carefully, eyes glancing back to Loki.

“I spoke to Agent Romanoff.” He said simply.

Understanding lit [Y/N]’s eyes, “Ok, well if I’m going to keep lying to you, you’ve gotta stop digging into them.” She chuckled, moving past him to put the towel and water bottle she’d brought with her down at the edge of the room.

“Or, you know, you could stop lying to me?” Loki suggested after her.

[Y/N] smirked as she straightened back up, glancing over her shoulder at him as she twisted the lid of her water bottle open. “Tempting.” She admitted with a wink, “but if we don’t have our lies, what do we have?”

Loki didn’t say anything to this, just watched [Y/N], her back to him, imagining the scars under her top. What did they have? Thor’s words came to mind. Love [Y/N]? No. That was a ridiculous idea, besides, he barely knew her - and half the things he did know he was pretty sure were just lies.

When [Y/N] turned around she found Loki still frowning hard at her. “What’s up?” She asked.

He shook his head. “Nothing.” He muttered, “How is your back?”

“Tight.” She admitted. “But fine.” She said, dismissing his concern and reaching for the knives strapped to her hips. “Don’t go easy.” She teased, crouching, ready.

“I have no intension to.” He taunted back sinisterly, reaching for his own.

Despite what Loki said, however, he could feel himself still hesitating more than usual. He could lie to himself that was moving slower to help her learn, but that would be contradictory to what he had said in their last session where he had shown her little mercy. No. Something had changed in his head and now he no longer wanted to hit her - despite how annoying she still was - ignoring the easy attacks he could see on her exposed sides or back, too concerned about the pain it might cause her.

He fought with her half-heartedly, mainly defending against [Y/N]’s attacks until she finally pulled back, mid-fight with an annoyed scowl on her face. “Right, that’s it.” She growled. “Will you stop worrying about my back?!”

Loki frowned at her. “I don’t know what you’re talking about.” He said innocently.

“I am supposed to be training to defend myself from knives attacks, and I know that my back has been exposed several times, yet you’ve made no attempt to take advantage of that!” [Y/N] pointed out, annoyed “– someone who’s never even picked a knife would be able to see the opportunity!” She exclaimed, “So, either you are suddenly afraid to hit a girl, or you are worrying about my bloody back!”

“I was hoping to avoid the ‘bloody’ part actually –“ The look on [Y/N]’s face made him stop. “Fine.” He sighed, “You want a real fight with me then?” He asked with a raised eyebrow, unsure about this.

“Yes!” [Y/N] demanded, exasperated.

“Fine.” Loki said again, and suddenly the air surrounding [Y/N] shimmered gold and green and, when it cleared, there was no longer one Loki in front of her, but six identical Lokis stood around in a circle.

[Y/N] felt a flash of panic at suddenly finding herself outnumbered before she then steeled herself, crouching into her attack position once again, her eyes flickering between each clone, trying to find something in one of that told it was the real one.

They all smirked at her, knowing what she was trying to do.

Suddenly the one behind her lurched forward to attack and she spun, catching his blade with her own, deflecting it away. The illusion disappeared in a flickering shimmer, but, before [Y/N] could really comprehend this, a second attack came from her right. By the time she had dealt with that threat, the clone that had vanished a moment ago had already reappeared back in place and was ready to strike again.

This was going to be hell.

[Y/N] continued to dodge and repel numerous attacks - managing to land a few of her own – and became vaguely aware that one clone in particular, just behind her on the left, didn’t seem to have made any move on her yet.

She smirked to herself, he was still worrying about her back.

She continued to fight off lunges and jabs, illusions vanishing and then reappearing just as quickly. Eventually, [Y/N] saw the opportunity she had been waiting for and thrust her blade at the real Loki. He easily dodged out of the way of her weapon, catching her gaze briefly and smirking, knowing she had found him. Before [Y/N] could make another move on him though, an illusion swung at her from the right. She knew the clone couldn’t hurt her, but she instinctively reacted to it, turning and catching the blade with her own.

“Your instincts are good,” [Y/N] heard Loki say in her ear, “but sometimes they can be a hinderance.” All the illusions said at once, now beginning to pace around her, like a pack circling their prey. It was impossible to tell where the real Loki had gone.

The attacks came again from all sides, but [Y/N] fought each away, completely exhausted now, but unwilling to give in. “I never thought you would resort to cheap parlour tricks to win.” She panted as she fought back the illusions, “Not capable of winning a one on one fight?” She goaded the mass of Lokis. And, just like that, there were no more attacks and [Y/N] couldn’t help sighing in relief, bending at the waist, hands on her knees as she tried to catch her breath. She glanced up to see only one Loki now, stood directly in front of her a few strides away. He stood with his hands crossed behind his back, watching her like an unimpressed teacher at a failing student.

[Y/N] dug for whatever energy she had left, ignoring the stings of the scars on her back and gulping in some last-minute air before she then pushed herself back upright to face Loki.

One on one. She could do this.

[Y/N] lunged at him but, the next thing she knew, she had gone straight through the man and landed heavily on the training room floor.

“I must admit,” Loki’s voice sounded from behind you again, “I’d hoped you had learned that trick.”

[Y/N] gritted her teeth, more annoyed at herself then at him, and pushed herself carefully onto her knees, pausing at the shot of pain that ran through her back when she got to one knee. Suddenly, an arm encased in a gold gauntlet appeared next to her and, after a slight hesitation, she took it, letting Loki help her to her feet.

“Your back is bleeding again.” He stated, his eyes on her shirt that was quickly becoming stained again.

“Oh, brilliant.” [Y/N] gasped sarcastically, wincing as she straightened out.

Loki released her hand and moved over to the table where the first aid kit was stored, crouching down to dig it out, not bothering to check if she had followed him, or asking if it was ok to help her -just doing it. “Shirt.” He instructed, without looking at her, instead digging out the necessary equipment from the kit. He heard her sigh in exasperation behind him, but she pulled the ruined material off anyway.

He finally turned to her, an alcohol-soaked swab in his hand, and [Y/N] spun without instruction, revealing to him the loosened, ruined bandages. Loki got to work on removing the dressings, and [Y/N] studied the patches of blood on the shirt in her hand. “You know, I didn’t have that many clothes to start with,” She chuckled weakly, “I really ought to stop ruining the ones I have.”

“You shouldn’t have been training.” Loki told her, “Your back wasn’t healed enough.”

[Y/N] winced at the sharp cold sting of the alcohol on one of the scars he had exposed. “Well, you were the one who invited me to train.” She pointed out - the pain from her back fuelling her temper so she practically growled out the words. “And then you did…. That” She said, unable to come up with a word for the illusions Loki had produced, so she just vaguely gestured out into the room where they had fought a moment ago.

“Stay still.” Loki ordered, and [Y/N] scowled at the floor, though she did as she was told. “You asked to fight me.” He continued. “That is how I fight. I am not my brother, I use deception and tricks rather than brute force.” He explained. “Besides, you were also the one that threw yourself at the floor.” He added.

“I threw myself at you.” [Y/N] pointed out, then felt herself blush when she heard the words out loud, hoping Loki hadn’t heard them the way you had.

Loki in fact, did know, and he faltered for the briefest second as he gathered bandages from the kit to redress [Y/N]’s back. Thor’s words came back to his mind. It was a ridiculous, but the idea of [Y/N] ‘throwing herself at him’ wasn’t entirely unpleasant.

“As I said,” Loki muttered, beginning to apply the bandages, showing no sign of his internal thoughts, or that he knew the other meaning for her words, “I had hoped you would have learnt that trick from past experience.”

[Y/N] cringed at the pressure on her wounds. “I… I let my frustrations get the better of me.” She reluctantly admitted. “I attacked before I completely thought my opponent through.”

“It happens to the best of us.” Loki muttered quietly, “Emotions can be difficult things to control.” He said, slightly louder. They fell into silence as Loki continued to work, and [Y/N] focused on not crying out in pain. Finally, he stepped back, signalling he was done. “There, I suggest not training for a few days.” He advised.

[Y/N] nodded. “Thanks, doc. I might just listen to you this time.” She smirked, letting her shirt fall open from the creased ball she had rolled it into. She attempted to put it back on, but the taut bandages limited her movement and - without thinking about it - Loki helped her, his fingers brushing her skin in a way that felt far more personal than all the times he’d touched her whilst tending her wounds.

As the shirt shimmied down to the waistband of her trousers, Loki caught side of the pink, healing gash above her hip and was reminded of the large cut in the bodice of [Y/N]’s ruined wedding dress.

“Thanks.” [Y/N] winced as she relaxed her back muscles again, now reaching for her water bottle, turning to face him as she took large gulps, her studying him as she drank.

“What?” He asked, crossing his arms, confused by her gaze.

She swallowed. “You don’t believe me.” She observed, pointing at him with her little finger.

“Should I?”

She chuckled, screwing the top back on her water. “About not training? Trust me you can believe me.”

“Yes, well, I thought that about your hand as well.” He muttered as [Y/N] now bent over to put her water bottle back on the floor. She hesitated, at his comment, then straightened back up, turning to Loki again.

“Look, I’m really sick of having this conversation over and over again.” She sighed. “Can’t you just live with the fact that you don’t know everything about everyone?”

“I can.” He nodded, “And I do. But with you I don’t know anything.”

“Well, I can tell you that my name is true.” She smirked up at him, but his face remained expressionless. “And I told you about the house break-in.”

“That really begged more questions then it answered.” Loki pointed out.

She smirked at him again, but then her face suddenly fell. “I am sorry about lying about my hand though.” She said gently, glancing away from him, around the room. “I – uh – I kind of hoped you wouldn’t notice it because I knew that if you asked I would have to lie…” She said trailed off, dropping her gaze.

Loki watched her bowed head, confused. [Y/N] shook her head, as though trying to dismiss her thoughts. “This is stupid,” She mumbled to herself, annoyed at how emotional she was getting. “I’m just – ergh,” She groaned, frustrated, “I’m just fed up of lying all the time – about everything.” She confessed.

“Then why do you?” [Y/N] just shook her head again, unable or unwilling to find the words. “Is that why your avoiding me?” Loki guessed.

She let out a breathless gasp that told him she was struggling to fight off her emotions, losing the battle against some of her tears, the water now sliding down her cheeks despite her best efforts. “I don’t like lying to you.” She told him, “So yes, partly, that’s why I’m avoiding you.”

“Partly?”

She let out a weak gasp of laughter, glancing up at his face with a shaky smile, her eyes becoming red. “I’m trying to actually tell you some truth,” She chuckled feebly, “can we focus on that, rather then the bits I’m still not talking about?”

Loki felt his lips quirk at her attempt at humour even now. “Alright, well if you won’t tell me any truth, will you at least tell me the reason why you feel the need to lie?” He pushed, desperate for some answers.

[Y/N] him cautiously, thinking about this. She sniffed, getting herself back under control. “Numerous reasons, I suppose.” She told him with a shrug. “Uh, mainly though because – well, what happened was… embarrassing… mortifying.” She said, shaking her head.

“Embarrassing?” He repeated in surprise and [Y/N] winced slightly. “Being stabbed is… embarrassing?” He asked in disbelief, thinking back to the healing wound on abdomen.

“Did you even buy that was a bullet wound for a moment?” She smirked weakly up at him.

“I saw the remains of your dress. No bullet cuts fabric like that.” He informed her.

She seemed momentarily surprised that Loki had seen the gown. “Good thing I burnt that thing then.” She muttered, now moving away from him and over to where her knives still lay on the floor from where she had fallen earlier. “Being stabbed wasn’t embarrassing,” She called back to Loki, surprising Loki as he didn’t expect her to say anything else. “Well it was,” She admitted, pausing to think about it, “I should have seen it coming.” She confessed, crouching to pick up the blades, “But I’m more embarrassed about what led to the stabbing in the first place.”

“And you’re not going to tell me that.”

She straightened, turning to grin at him, “You’re getting good at this.” She teased.

He rolled his eyes. Watching her sheathe the knives at her hips again. She patted them in place, then strode over to grab her water bottle and towel. She finally turned back to Loki again, “Well,” [Y/N] muttered, shifting on the balls of her feet, “uh, thanks, for – uh - hurting me - again,” She muttered, the edges of her lips curving as she gestured at the floor, “and for – uh - then bandaging me… again.” She smirked, glancing back up at Loki. “I guess I’ll… see ya around.” She murmured, lifting a hand in farewell before going to leave.

Loki, however, didn’t want to her slip through his fingers now – not when she finally seemed to be opening up slightly - if only dropping the odd comment or hint about the lies or why she was telling them. “It’s odd,” He suddenly called after her, dropping his arms. “You don’t strike me as a person that is ‘mortified’ easily.” He said, “You don’t seem to care what others think.”

[Y/N] paused in her path to the doorway, turning back to him slightly, shrugging. “We all have reputations to uphold,” She told him “ – even if it’s for no one but ourselves.” She dropped her head to the floor, unable to look at him. “I – uh – I thought I was better - smarter…,” She muttered quietly, “I just proved to myself that I wasn’t…” She stood there for moment, staring at the floor before she shook her head, turned and swiftly headed for the door.

This time Loki didn’t stop her.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, I know I’ve only just written part 8, but I had an idea for a part of this part, so I thought I’d go ahead and write it! haha
> 
> I’m not sure how happy I am with this part, it could probably still need some work and I’m worried Loki is ooc, but I’m too tired to fix it anymore than I already have.
> 
> I hope it’s not too bad!


	10. Part 10

“Brother!” Thor called, spotting Loki as he entered the communal floor the following day. “What a pleasant surprise!” Loki scowled slightly at Thor’s enthusiasm, and didn’t falter as he headed for the kitchen. He couldn’t help but think though, that maybe Thor, annoyingly, been right the other day - maybe [Y/N] had changed him – it was midday and Loki had made no attempt to avoid the peak social hours of the other occupants of the tower - most of which were currently sat in the sofas that arced around the TV. Despite noticing this, Loki said nothing in greeting to them - [Y/N] might be able to change the time of his appearances, but she couldn’t change his moods.

His usual quiet sullenness didn’t seem to deter the others much though.

“How goes your attempts to woo [Y/N]?” Barton called, shooting a glance over his shoulder at Loki with a stupid grin on his face.

“What’s this?” Stark perked up from where he sat at the bar, his eyes having – as usual – been glued to a portable piece of technology he was carrying around.

“Amusing, Agent Barton.” Loki muttered, still continuing to stride towards the kitchen. “Nice to see your character has developed from the first time we met.” He taunted, shooting a sly glance at the back of the man’s head, watching him stiffen, the memory of their first encounter and the power of the tesseract having its desired effect.

Though no one else in the room quite knew what Barton had been through, everyone similarly stiffened slightly at the memory and Loki earned a reprimanding glare from his brother. Loki didn’t bat an eyelid at it, use to his brother’s disapprove and it wasn’t like the reminder didn’t also bring back its own painful memories him as well. However, Loki hadn’t seen [Y/N] since she left the training room the day before. He didn’t care, of course, but he also didn’t want to be reminded about it.

“My brother has taken a fancy to Miss [Y/N].” Thor informed the room, trying to lighten the mood by changing the topic on everyone’s mind back to humiliating Loki – a far more enticing alternative which caused Loki - his back now to the others - to tense instead. Thank you, brother Loki cursed inwardly, walking into the kitchen and stepping around the island.

“Aren’t the two of you almost complete opposites?” Loki heard Rogers ask.

“Well you know what they say,” Agent Romanoff pointed out, one corner of her lip twisting up. “Opposites attract.” She paused for a moment in thought. “But don’t you also have a death wish for her father?”

“To be honest,” Stark pointed out with a grin, “so does [Y/N] though.”

Loki still didn’t turn, refusing to acknowledge any of these comments and letting the squabble over the logistics of his so-called ‘fancy’ to [Y/N]. He was past the point of protesting to the deaf ears - let them think what they want. The only part of this he took a problem to was someone bringing this up with [Y/N] herself. Though what did it matter? It could be considered slightly embarrassing, but why should he be embarrassed if all this gossip was not in fact true?

Which it wasn’t.

“If he did plan on ‘wooing’ her though,” Romanoff was now saying, “he better do it soon - before she leaves.”

“She’s leaving?” Barton and Thor asked in union, both shocked, and Loki felt himself falter for a moment.

“Yeah,” Stark confirmed, jumping down from the bar stool, grabbing the glass sat next to him which already looked like it contained something strong. “Said something about finally getting a lead on those guys that jumped her at the wedding,” He shrugged, now heading towards the sofas, “She’s heading off tonight to check it out.”

“Where?” Rogers asked, intrigued.  
Stark shrugged. “Something about Romania.”

“Geez, did we say something?” Barton joked with wide eyes at the distance.

“Yes,” Stark nodded shamelessly, tipping his glass towards the agent, “You probably did.” Barton glowered at him, but Stark made no sign of noticing. “My question is, are we just letting her go alone?” He asked the room, holding out his hands for answers.

“She was pretty adamant about it just being her.” Romanoff muttered, though she didn’t sound happy.

“The lady seems very capable of taking care of herself.” Thor added.

“All I know about her is a torn-up wedding dress and a whole lot of injuries.” Rogers now said. “Do we even know what she’s going up against?” Asked Rogers, “Does she know?”

They collapsed into bickering amongst themselves, toing and froing about where to interfere or offer help to [Y/N]. Their suggestions and questions had only spoken aloud the thoughts passing through Loki’s own mind. [Y/N] was leaving? Tonight? She clearly wasn’t going after the people that had gone after her at the wedding as that had all been a lie. So where was she going? And why so suddenly? Despite all the arguments going on in his head for why the girl shouldn’t leave the main, most rational, one was that she was still injured. If anything she did ended in a fight she would reopen the wounds on her back and either been in too much pain to fight back, or, at the very, least bleed out.

“Hey, what-“

“Brother?”

Loki ignored the voices as he now turned and strode quickly out of the room.

\--------------------------------------------------------------

“Where you going?” Loki demanded when [Y/N] opened her bedroom door.

“Good day to you too, Loki.” She muttered, turning back to her room, leaving the door open for him. She made her way over to the double bed where her familiar rucksack sat, half packed. “And I’m off to Romania.” She answered his question as she reached for a scarf-like object, folding it neatly so it took up minimal space.

“So, I’ve heard.” He muttered, stepping after her into the room. “But I want to know where you are truly going.”

[Y/N] sighed heavily, as she packed the scarf, knowing that pulling the wool over Loki’s eyes had been a very long shot. “Truthfully? I’m going to Italy.” She confessed.

“And why the sudden urge to leave?”

“Why do you care?” She asked, pausing in her packing to raise an eyebrow at him.

This made Loki pause. He didn’t care, did he? It suddenly hit him how wrapped up he got in this girl. He had been actively trying to avoid her only a week ago, now he was seeking her out trying not to get her to leave. Since when did he care this much about a silly Midgardian girl? It must be her damn compulsive lying dragging him into her mystery. Did he somehow feel he had a sense of duty to watch over as he was the only one that knew she was lying?

“Because,” He finally said, “unlike everyone else in this tower, I know that you are not leaving to track the so called ‘organisation’ from the ‘wedding’.” He watched [Y/N] carefully. “Whatever you’re doing is personal.”

“So? What’s that got to do with anything.” She growled bitterly.

“Because when things become personal, people slip up…” Loki told her, moving further into the room, his eyes not leaving her. “They become reckless and make mistakes.” He told her firmly. “Something you can’t afford to do in your state.” [Y/N] glanced at him but didn’t say anything, just watching him move around her. “And, should significant harm come to you, no one truly knows where you’re going to have any hope of providing you with aid.”

“I gave them the right continent.” [Y/N] shrugged, uncaring, and returning her attention back to her packing. Loki just glared at her back, resisting the urge to grab her and try to shake some sense into her. Anyone else that vexed him as much as [Y/N] did would already have a knife in their back.

“I told you not to fight.” He said instead, his voice stiff as he tried to keep his frustration under control.

“No, you told me not to train,” She reminded him, smirking slightly down at her bag. “I’m not training anymore.” She said, now turning 180o and taking the few steps to the dresser behind her. Loki scowled at her loophole, thinking back to the conversations earlier and wondering if [Y/N] was quite so the opposite of him. “Besides,” [Y/N] continued with a shrug. “I’m not planning on getting into any fights.”

“Do you actually have a plan?”

“To a certain extent.” [Y/N] muttered, rummaging through the top drawer of the dresser for something.

Loki didn’t believe her for one minute. “Your going into this completely blind and your trying to convince me you’re not being reckless, and that this isn’t going to end in a fight?”

[Y/N]’s jaw tensed, clearly becoming irritated by his persistence on the subject. “You have any no idea what I’m going to do.” She muttered bitterly.

“I don’t think you do either.” He pointed out.

“What do you want from me Loki?!” [Y/N] demanded in exasperation, finally turning on him, clearly annoyed at the pointless back and forth between them. “I’m going! - No matter what you say! This is for me to deal with! Alone!”

“Why?” He demanded, unable to keep the growl out of his voice now. “Because you don’t trust me?”

“Should I?!” She demanded almost hysterically. “You’re the one that keeps trying to convince me that you’re this cruel, evil, trickster of a man!”

“And yet you still continually insist I’m some sort of gentleman.” He pointed out with a growl.

“You want to know why I think you’re a gentleman, despite everything you’ve told me?!” She snapped angrily. “Despite everything I’ve heard?!” She snarled. “Because I had a ‘good guy’! I had the best guy around!” She glared at him “And yet he was the worst thing that ever happened to me!” She exclaimed, “Now you might be a ‘bad guy’,” [Y/N] jabbed a finger at Loki, “but I bet you’re ten times the man he ever was!” She cried, and Loki could see the angry, painful tears welling in her eyes. She continued to glare at Loki for a moment, as though trying to keep her strong façade up, but then she turned away, ashamed by her outburst.

Loki hesitated, processing what had just happened, slightly taken aback by the sudden change in [Y/N]’s usual jokey, carefree character. He stepped closer to her, having a strange urge to reach out for her, though he resisted. “…What did he do to you…?”

[Y/N] let out a sharp sigh, like she had been holding her breath, now trying to collect herself up and stop the water that threatened to roll down her cheeks. “A - A lot of things happened in a – a very short space of time.” She confessed, keeping her head down, choking on her words slightly as she tried to keep herself together. “M- Most of them I have my own – my own blindness to blame…” She muttered bitterly. “I should have known better…” [Y/N] kept her back to him, and Loki was wary of getting any closer – unsure what to do with an emotional woman.

[Y/N] sensed Loki’s discomfort and pulled herself upright, taking a deep breath and sniffing back the tears that had managed to escape. She turned to face him, her eyes already red. “People say I’m fucked up…” She told him as a way of apology, a weak snort of derisive laughter escaping her lips. “They’re probably right…”

The two of them fell into silent, Loki waited, unsure what to do now, still half-hoping she would answer his question. [Y/N] took a deep calming breath, having made her mind up. “I- I was never in South America.” She finally confessed. “I was in France. Settled.” She told him. “I had a house, a partner, a job. A new identity.” Her lip quirked slightly at the memory. “I was happy.” She said. “- well - I thought I was.” She confessed.

“And then I got engaged…”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Sorry it’s been a few days, I’m desperately trying to catch up on work and I’ve had a bit of writers block/lack of concentration.
> 
> This one’s pretty short, but I kind of wanted it to set up for the next chapter which you can probably imagine where it’s going after reading this one!
> 
> Hope you like it! Hope the characters aren’t too ooc!


	11. Part 11

[Y/N] fell silent as her mind now turned to memories that were no so painful. Loki stood by the bed, arms folded, watching the hurt on her face change and transform between grief and anger, wondering if she was going to say anymore. It was odd, he was so close to finding out the secret she had been withholding, but a part of him now, as he watched her, almost didn’t want her to – he didn’t want to be the reason she looked so pained.

What did it matter if he hurt her though? He was close to knowing, close to putting to rest the thing that had driven him mad for over a week now. Yet he couldn’t bring himself to speak, to push her. Instead, he settled with just watching her, waiting patiently until she was able to continue. Hoping she would.

[Y/N] was deep in thought. She hadn’t wanted to tell anyone - to say it all out loud was to truly admit it happened. But wasn’t talking about these things supposed to help somehow? Offer closure maybe?

[Y/N] glanced over at Loki where his eyes were still on her and she dropped her gaze again, her cheeks going red at his scrutiny. Was he really the one to talk about it to, though? He was the man that making her question her resolve. Sure, Loki wasn’t like her ex, but that didn’t mean he was any better, he was a confirmed enemy to the planet after all. [Y/N], however, had said several times she didn’t care about any of this, despite Loki’s warnings, yet he was still the one that had tricked her numerous times and even held a knife to her throat at one point.

Was he really the first person she wanted to talk to about this?

Loki did seem to like her, though. Maybe not in the way [Y/N] feared she liked him, but he didn’t make her worry around him, felt no threat to her person from him.

Based on her knowledge of the alleged God, that had to practically the two of them were best friends.

Maybe she should tell him. Maybe it would be ok. Maybe it wouldn’t. Maybe he’d tell everyone else about how she’d screwed up. But maybe that was for the best? Her father was largely to blame after all, maybe it would expose him to the others, make them question him a bit more?

[Y/N] met Loki’s eyes again now and gave him a forced, unconvincing smile - a half-hearted attempt to convince him she was fine, doubting he would buy it. She wondered, though, if he was looking for a way out of this conversation. Did he really want to hear the rest? Or would he settle for knowing her secret was just some shit about a relationship gone wrong?

Loki’s face didn’t change when she smiled, though, his eyes still holding unanswered questions. There was interest there.

You weren’t sure whether you had wanted to see that or not.

[Y/N] glanced away again, down at the floor. She was still stood by the dresser, her back against the drawer she had opened. She let out a breath, “I’ve – uh – “ She finally said, now turning her back to Loki, facing the drawer as she now pushed it back in. “I’ve actually never told anyone this…” She admitted quietly, though the silence in the room made it easy for Loki to hear. [Y/N] paused again, as though questioning herself once again, possibly knowing that, once she turned, there was no going back.

Finally, she turned back to him again, leaning back against the chest of drawers once more, her hands on either side of her, resting of the top. Her eyes only flickered to Loki’s for a moment before they dropped to the floor. It was clear to him that this [Y/N] was a completely different person to the girl he had originally met. It had all been a front. This would be raw [Y/N]. “What happened?” He finally murmured, trying to encourage her to just let it out. [Y/N] shook her head, feeling the emotions welling inside of her and not sure she could go back through it again. “You’re in pain,” Loki observed quietly, his eyes not leaving her, “I wish to know why.” He said firmly, yet gently. His impatience was getting to him now, but he didn’t want to hurt her.

“Why?!” [Y/N] demanded, her temper suddenly flaring, “So, you can help?!” She snapped. Loki didn’t answer, his face a mask of calm. “Well, you can’t!” She snarled in answer, “So there is no point in telling you!”

The silence fell between the two of them again, [Y/N] now tucking her chin to her chest, feeling the tears burning in the corners of her eyes. The quiet continued to stretch on, but Loki didn’t push it again, simply waiting as [Y/N] tried to get herself back under control.

She eventually let out another long breath, though her head remained down as she continued to fight the tears, gravity not helping. “I met Mark two years ago.” She murmured, her voice wobbly, “Maybe two and half.” She corrected quietly. Loki didn’t move, worried it would somehow spook [Y/N] back into her own mind again. “There was nothing… Odd, about our meeting…” She continued in a low murmur. “It was a bar… I think… I just remember he was very persistent.” She murmured, her lips slightly twitching in a humourless smirk. “At the time, I guess I didn’t really think it would be much more than a one-night stand…” She recalled in a dream-like voice, lost in her memories. “Till he brought me flowers and coffee the next morning… He was cute.” [Y/N] said, finally lifting her head, a small, sad smirk on her face, her eyes red from fighting back her tears.

[Y/N] could easily see now that her naïve heart had fallen hard in that moment. You’d think a trained killer would be stronger than that. She clearly wasn’t. A psychiatrist might tell her it was because of the lack of affection she’d been shown from her father, but she didn’t really care why. She didn’t need to. What had happened, happened.

And it wouldn’t happen again. At least that’s what [Y/N] had told herself.

“Me and Mark were together for those two years…” She murmured now. “Looking back… There were signs,” She nodded slightly, “but – it – it was almost like I was in some sort of daze,” She let out a huff of humourless laughter, “you could say I was in a bubble of love - blind to everything that was wrong.” She mused bitterly. “It was all my fault.” [Y/N]’s eyes flickered up to Loki’s, but his expression was blank. No judgement. Not that he was showing. But neither was he protesting.

[Y/N] dropped her gaze again. “The scars… –“ Her voice faltered as she spoke to the floor, a single tear managing to escape her restraint.

Loki felt himself stiffen at the mention of the injuries on her back. “They were him.” He murmured crisply, his voice clearly controlled.

[Y/N] just bobbed her head in response, then suddenly let out a large shaky sob, tugging her chin tightly against her chin as though that would somehow keep her together. She took a deep, shaky breath to get herself back under control. “I – I wrote those off as well.” She explained, her voice shaking. “Told myself he never meant to. That he just had a temper – that I was anyone – that I was wrong…” She trailed off. “I was always wrong.” She muttered, stressing the word through gritted teeth. “It was always my fault…”

She took a deep shaky breath, releasing her hands from where they had gripped the dresser to now wrap them around her chest, closing her eyes as another tear escaped, rolling down to her lip. “I was with that man for two years.” She murmured to herself. “In my mind, the good times outweighed the bad. That the bad weren’t often.” She told him. “But when they were bad, they were really bad.” She confessed, and Loki noticed how her arms tightened around herself as she thought back. [Y/N] had buried these memories far away and it was almost physically painful to open these mental wounds back up again now. Her grip on herself was to the point of being painful, but she feared if she loosened her now, she’d fall into pieces.

“I – I wish I had got out sooner,” She murmured, broken. “Wish someone had noticed and said something.” She said, “I didn’t have any friends to notice, though. Doubt I would have believed them if anyone pointed it out to me anyway,” She muttered resentfully, “- I was too far gone.” She shook her head, like she was trying to shake the pain away. “Two years…” She mumbled again like she couldn’t quite believe it.

She took another shaky breath – almost as though she kept forgetting to breathe – and let her arms drop. “Then we got engaged.” She sighed, “I can’t remember why we decided to…” She said thinking back, “– you probably understand that I’ve tried to bury my memories of those times.” She laughed humourless, glancing up at Loki who was surprised by the sound. “And you don’t even know half the story.” [Y/N] muttered, turning away from him again.

Loki watched her – and his chest hurt. She looked exhausted. Raw. Vulnerable. It looked like one breath of wind would shatter her.

He had an odd urge to reach out to her, to pull her into his arms, but he was worried she would crumple under his touch.

[Y/N] seemed to have a similar thought though, because she now pushed away from the drawers, crossing the short distance back to the bed where her half-packed rucksack still sat. She perched on the edge of the mattress, letting her hands hang limply in her lap as she stared blankly at the floor. “I wanted to marry the man,” She admitted, “- after all, I loved him.” She shrugged. “I didn’t waste any time starting to plan the day and it wasn’t long before the day came around.” She murmured, pausing for a moment. [Y/N] glanced up at Loki who had now stepped around to stand, arms still folded, directly in front of her. “My wedding day was May 17th.”

Loki counted this back. A few weeks ago - specifically, the day of the party when he first met her. He couldn’t have been too surprised, she’d shown up in her wedding dress after all. But she had been so lively and chatty. The main question in Loki’s mind, however, was how has [Y/N] had ended up in the state she had been in when she arrived at the party? How badly wrong did her wedding day go?

[Y/N] could see the question in his face. A sad smirk found its way to her face. “It didn’t start off bad,” She explained, “Up until five minutes before the wedding I was all set to live happily ever after.” She grimaced. “I was dressed, made-up, and ready to walk down the aisle. You could even say I was happy.” She muttered. “So happy, in fact,” She pointed out, “that I even invited my father after Mark insisted that the little family I had should be present.” [Y/N] explained. “I now see my agreement with that was probably more from some subconscious fear I had of Mark rather than anything else-“ [Y/N] explained. “But, I guess, at the time, I couldn’t really see a problem with it either - sure, me and my dad might not have always seen eye to eye, but it was my wedding day. So, I bit the bullet.” She shrugged.

“On the day, of course, I regretted it.” [Y/N] continue with a sigh, “But, now, I guess it was the best thing I could have ever done.” She admitted, dropping her eyes to her lap. “If he hadn’t come, then I would have risked Maria not coming either.”

“Agent Hill?” Loki asked, with a frown. [Y/N]’s head shot up, as though having forgotten Loki had a voice. She nodded as he now moved to sit down next to her, somehow him simply talking having broken the tension between them and the atmosphere around them relaxed slightly.

“Maria was the one that told me.” [Y/N] explained. “She was the one that saved me really. I guess I feel like I owe her my life.” She admitted. “She basically saved it after all – saved me from making a huge mistake…” [Y/N] trailed off, staring at where she fiddled with her fingers on her sat. She snorted in weak laughter. “Maria was worried I would hate her for it.” [Y/N] said, lifting her head slightly. “But I could never hate her for what she did.” She said, shaking her head.

“What I can remember,” [Y/N] continued after a short pause, “I remember so clearly,” She explained, “Yet certain things are still foggy or missing completely – like – like I’ve just completely blanked them out.” She said, shaking her head as though trying to dispel the fog in her mind. She paused again. “I was – uh – in my room - I think - just about to put on my veil, when Maria came in.” [Y/N] continued. “She was my bridesmaid – the only one – it made sense to me,” She shrugged, “Maria’s the only person I’ve ever really been reasonable close to.” She explained. “I’ve known her for as long as she’s worked for my father and we use to train together.

“I’ve never resented her for working with my dad even after I left,” [Y/N] confessed, as though guessing Loki would have scepticism over this choice of friend. “I never seen it as her fault and - for the most part - she usually agreed with my side of things,” [Y/N shrugged. “She just couldn’t do anything about it.”

Loki didn’t say anything, still not convinced, but reserving his judgement for the end of story.

“I’ve never seen Maria’s hands shake before.” [Y/N] muttered to herself, pulling Loki out of his mind. “But that’s how I knew something was wrong,” [Y/N] confessed, “Her hands shook when she helped me with my veil.” Loki sensed something was coming and he bit back his impatience. “When I asked her what was wrong, it was clear she was fighting with herself over whether to tell me or not.” [Y/N] explained. “She confessed she wasn’t supposed to know in the first place - that she shouldn’t really speak of it, that if anyone knew she’d likely lose her job - maybe even be arrested. But, because it was me, because it was my life, she said she couldn’t keep silent.” [Y/N] explained. “My father had finally crossed the line for her - she no longer cared if she lost her job or was detained over it.” [Y/N] muttered.

She paused again now, staring down at her lap, collecting herself again. She let out a long sigh. “I – I never met Mark out of pure chance.” [Y/N] confessed her voice breaking slightly, “I was set up. By my father.”

“What do you mean?” Loki murmured next to you.

“My dad wanted me ‘settled down’ apparently.” [Y/N] muttered at her hands. “Supposedly he didn’t mind me not wanting to see him as long as I was safely tucked up in a suburb somewhere, not risking my life on a mission.” She muttered bitterly. “I guess that supposed to me he cares…? Anyway, he was the one who arranged for Mark to meet me and then ‘seduce’ me.” She said it like the word was disgusting in her mouth.

“He… paid for this man to date and eventually marry you?” Loki asked.

“Oh no.” [Y/N] shook her head, “It’s worse than that. He didn’t pay the guy per se – at least not with money.” You told him. “Turns out, Mark isn’t just a random guy off the street my father found, he’s actually of the one of the high-ranking officials of the HYDRA organisation.” [Y/N] paused to let that sink in. “It also turns out,” She muttered, “that I was to be used as a bargaining chip - the bachelor gets a wife and HYDRA and my dad are suddenly on better terms for negotiations.” [Y/N] grumbled resentfully. “Always the politician for the greater good, my dad - screw the girl that gets caught in it all!” You cried sarcastically.

Loki couldn’t believe what he was hearing. “Did your father know of the abuse you were suffering from the man?” Loki asked, his voice stiff and taunt, like his temper was just below the surface.

[Y/N] flinched when he referred to her scars again. She shook her head, “No, I don’t believe they kept much contact – they still weren’t the best of friends. Besides, my father threw me to the wolves to get what he wanted, you think a few extra scratches would matter to him?”

Loki didn’t say anything to that, but he wished he had one of the men involved in the room right now to unleash his anger on. Even better, every person that had a hand in this whole scheme.

Instead he just sat very still, every muscle tense and his magic bubbling like fire beneath his skin, itching to be used. He took breaths to cool himself. “What did you do once you found this all out?” He asked eventually. [Y/N] glanced at him as though surprised he’d ask.

She watched him for a minute, taking in his taunt posture, before she dropped her head again. “Well, what could I do?” She asked her lap with a shrug. “I’d just found out the last two years of my life were a lie…” She murmured. “W Maria explained it all to me there was never even a flicker of doubt that what she was saying wasn’t true… It was like someone had just pulled me out of bed and thrown me into cold water.” She explained, “I was suddenly wide awake and seeing everything so much painfully clearer…

“I couldn’t go through with it, of course.” [Y/N] explained, “And I knew I had to leave – I didn’t owe anything to my dad or to ‘Mark’ to tell them I couldn’t go through with it.” She said. “But, I was also expected down the aisle at any minute. There was no window in my room and I remember I was just considering the air vents when there was a knock at my door.” [Y/N] said, glancing up and staring at the drawers in front of her as she spoke. “I had Maria answer it and the next thing I knew she was thrown flying whilst several armed HYDRA agents stormed into my hotel room!” [Y/N] exclaimed. “I later found out from Maria that these men were part of group of HYDRA that didn’t agree with the so-called ‘alliance’ my marriage to Mark would form between SHIELD and HYDRA,” She explained. “So, they had crashed the wedding in hopes of getting rid of me before it could happen.”

“Maria got up pretty quickly though,” {Y/N] continued, “and together we managed to deal with the intrusion pretty quickly – I don’t think the men expected Hill to be there.” She clarified as an aside. “We then ran from the room before anymore showed up and headed for the large hall where the reception was supposed to take place later.” She explained. “We got waylaid by a few more agents that tried to stop us, but Maria dealt with those and pushed me on.” [Y/N] told Loki who nodded along with all this. “I was to try to get to the gardens through the large veranda doors in the hall, and then, from there, I should have been able to get away, find the road and follow it.” She explained, “But, there were agents waiting for me in the hall too. They nearly overwhelmed me, thanks to that stupid dress,” She muttered, annoyed, “but then Mark suddenly appeared and helped me fight them back. “Of course, then I was stuck - Mark was insisting on walking me back to the ceremony, so I had to tell him what I knew and the fact that I refused to go through with it.” [Y/N] explained.

“Safe to say,” She sighed, “that didn’t go down well… When I tried to turn away, Mark grabbed me and threatened me.”

“He was one the one that cut you.” Loki murmured. It wasn’t a question and [Y/N] glanced over at Loki to see his eyes lingering by her hip where the large cut had been.

“That was probably my worst injury.” [Y/N] admitted. “He grabbed me when I tried to make a run at one point, he’d had a blade in his suit pocket that I hadn’t noticed, and he tried to stab me. I dodged, but not quickly enough.” She explained.

“And the black eye?”

“A lucky punch.”

“Please tell me you did some similar damage?” Loki smirked lightly, raising an eyebrow.

“I didn’t exactly hang around to check.” [Y/N] smirked back, “but I – uh - know I threw a few well aimed punches, and I managed to get a hold of his knife at one point before he disarmed me. After that is went flying across the room and out of play.” [Y/N] explained.”

Loki frowned. “What about the burns?”

“Oh, uh - one of the agents me and Maria fought in the hallway thought it would be smart to throw some of the decorative candles at the two of us.” [Y/N] explained. “The candles didn’t do much damage, but hot liquid wax is painful.” She said with a twist of her lips.

“So, how was it you got away?”

“I’m still not really sure,” {Y/N] admitted, shaking her head. “I – uh – actually think the dress helped me as much as it hindered – Mark couldn’t see my legs coming at him.” She clarified to Loki’s confused expression. “As to what finally did it? I don’t know – one too many hits? Fatigue? I’m not sure, but eventually I saw an opportunity, made another run for it, and Mark didn’t recover quickly enough to stop me.” She shrugged. “I didn’t stop running – despite the weight of that damn dress - until I found the road and had run a good mile alongside it.” She told him. “I took cover in some shrubbery whilst I ran through my options, then I remembered Stark and his invitation - it was just a coincidence the party had been on the same night.” [Y/N] confessed. “I didn’t want to risk bleeding out, so I patched myself up as much as I could and started walking. – figure a taxi probably wouldn’t take me and I had no money on me - so I started walking.”

“You walked here?”

She nodded again, “Figured a taxi wouldn’t take me in my state,” She shrugged, “and I had no money on me. It might have been completely fine if I hadn’t lost a heel during the fighting, thanks to that it was more of a slow limp than a walk.” She mused. “– Not that I could’ve moved too fast anyway – I’d have ruined the poor stitch up I’d done - plus I was exhausted.” [Y/N] muttered. “Good thing Stark’s parties tend to be all-nighters.” She murmured with a smirk.

Loki smirked weakly at that, remembering how he’d wish the night over after barely an hour. If he had known [Y/N] was trekking in a broken heel and ruined gown to the party… No, he would have done the same thing anyway. He hadn’t known [Y/N] then, he hadn’t known how effected he would be by her.

If he’d heard her story back then, he’d been able to appreciate the cruelty of it all - thought even worse of Fury if that was possible – but he wouldn’t have given the girl much of a second thought after that.

He wasn’t sure if that would have been better or worse than how things were now.

“And the scratch on your hand?” Loki murmured, dropping his eyes to her hand where the large scratch had healed into a red mark. “The truth behind that?”

[Y/N] smirked weakly at his persistence. “I went to try to see Maria.” She confessed. “And I know –“ She cut Loki off before he could protest about how dangerous that was, “- It was risky – but I had to know if she was in trouble for helping me.” She explained. “I’d hoped it had been long enough since the wedding that they wouldn’t be as alert for me – and I wanted to check before I left.”

“You were lucky to escape with only that scratch.” Loki reprimanded, with a scowl. [Y/N] nodded. He was right, she knew that, but she didn’t regret it. She had found out Maria had been suspended for quite a long period, but she hadn’t been arrested, and her job was only in question.

The HYDRA agents [Y/N] had encountered hadn’t been too much to deal with – she’d be prepared this time.

“Are you still leaving?” Loki muttered, glancing between [Y/N] and the rucksack that sat behind her. [Y/N] also looked back.

“I don’t know.” She admitted, staring at the bag

“Are they still hunting you?” Loki asked, his voice concerned.

[Y/N] shrugged, turning back around. “I don’t know where they think I am.” She said. “I don’t know if my father is still working with them or if I’ve basically just managed to start a war.

“Why were you leaving then?” He frowned, “You’ve already proven it is not safe.”

“I’ve never been safe, Loki.” [Y/N] scowled. “My very father meant I always had a target on my back, sort of made it redundant to aim for a ‘safe’ job, so I didn’t. I’m used to it.” She insisted. “Being wanted isn’t a problem.” She muttered. “I planned to leave because Maria told me Mark had gone to see her. He knew I would try to make contact with her and he wanted to give me a message.”

“And what was that?” Loki asked warily.

[Y/N] glanced over at him, predicting his reaction. “He wants to talk with me. Alone.”

“You don’t honestly believe that, do you?” Loki raised his eyebrows in disbelief. [Y/N] just shrugged, but that was answer enough. “How?!” He demanded. “This man has done nothing but lie to you the whole time you’ve known him!”

“Look,” [Y/N] said, “I know I said I’m used to being wanted and all, but it would be nice if one less group of people wasn’t after me – and I’m not SHIELD, I should be able to reason with these people.”

Loki furrowed his brow, seeing something in her face. “That’s not the only reason you want to leave though, is it?” He asked suspiciously.

[Y/N] rolled her eyes and sighed heavily, hanging her head. He was right though, damn him. Loki glanced over at her this, seeing her downcast face. He wasn’t surprised after all the memories she had just relived for him, but he thought she had been starting to lighten up a bit, return to the [Y/N] he knew.

“You’re right.” She admitted quietly. “I don’t know how you already know me that well, but you’re right.” She laughed humourlessly, shaking her head where is hung. “You’d think I’d learn, wouldn’t you?” She murmured, as she stared down at her lap, looking exhausted. “Yet here I am again.”

Loki frowned at her in confusion. “What do you mean?” He murmured.

[Y/N] glanced reluctantly over at him, sighing again, before she dropped her head once more. “I - I - uh – I wanted to leave because of you.” She mumbled, and Loki’s brow furrowed in confusion. “See, I – uh - I like you.” [Y/N] confessed hastily. “I didn’t stay here this long because I need the protection – a stable wall and roof is a nice change, but it’s not essential.” She explained.” You’re the reason I lingered this long. You’re the reason I don’t want to leave… But you’re also the reason I need to leave.” Loki opened his mouth to say something, but he wasn’t sure what to say to this. [Y/N] didn’t seem to notice, carrying on. “I should know better - should know you’re just going to be bad news. But I – I care about you… She mumbled, shyly.

Loki still remained silent, drinking it in. He hadn’t even thought it possible - all the jokes from Thor and Barton, he’d never considered that the girl could actually like him back. Loki wasn’t sure what to think, but his chest felt weird and the idea of [Y/N] leaving seemed to hurt even more now. She didn’t want to go either – she had said as much herself. Loki couldn’t let her disappear. He certainly couldn’t let her go alone into a den of those HYDRA agents to find the man who had caused her so much harm already.

The thought alone made his chest tighten painfully.

“Mark always said I was fucked up…” [Y/N] mumbled to herself, still beating herself up. Her comment snapped Loki out of his mind, though he wasn’t sure whether he was supposed to have heard it or not.

“Yes, [Y/N],” He nodded, turning to her. “You are ‘fucked up’.” Loki agreed and [Y/N] glanced over at him in surprise, the hurt clear in her eyes. “But,” He murmured, reaching now to take hold her hands where they sat in her lap, pulling them towards him. [Y/N] glanced between where they touched to his face. “I love you anyway.” He confessed with an adoring smirk.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Ok, I’ve written this as the last part of the series, though technically I could do more parts, I think I’ll leave it here so I can start/return to other things!
> 
> I’m sorry it’s not great, and the end especially is a bit rushed, but I hope it’s alright and no too ooc?


End file.
